The much awaited debut of Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies is here. The film promises a cinematic extravaganza, showcasing not only a new and vibrant cast of stars but also a unique Indian take on the iconic Archie Comics.

Here’s everything you need to know about The Archies before watching the film. 

Cast

The Archies features an exciting ensemble cast. As the endearing and gifted Archie Andrews, Agastya Nanda assumes the part, and Khushi Kapoor plays Betty Cooper. Suhana Khan plays Veronica Lodge, Mihir Ahuja plays Jughead Jones, Vedang Raina plays Reggie Mantle, and Yuvraj Menda plays Dilton Doiley. As Ethel Muggs, Aditi “Dot” Saigal completes the group.

Apart from the principal characters, noteworthy cameos by Koel Purie, Santana Roach, Tara Sharma Saluja, and Delnaaz Irani enhance the cinematic story.

Plot

The story is presented as a coming-of-age musical that takes place in the fictional hilltop town of Riverdale. The film examines friendship, independence, love, heartbreak, and rebellion from the distinctive perspective of the Anglo-Indian community.

The central theme of the film is the bond between a group of friends, which is put to the test when a well-liked park is put in danger by a large-scale local redevelopment project. The redevelopment is being led by Veronica’s father, who wants to build a hotel on the park site. The gang puts aside their disagreements and puts up a united front to prevent the public area from being destroyed.

Runtime and trailer

The Archies, which runs for two hours and twenty-one minutes (141 minutes), promises an engaging experience for viewers. The teaser, released in November, provides a look into a world full of love, friendship, music, and a group of people determined to be heard. The teaser, which concludes with the inspirational phrase “You’re never too young to change the world,” sets the tone for an engrossing cinematic experience.

Crew

Director Zoya Akhtar, who also worked with Reema Kagti and Ayesha Devitre Dhillon on the writing, is behind the camera for The Archies. Nikos Andritsakis does a fantastic job with the film’s cinematography, and Nitin Baid handles the film’s editing. Bosco-Caesar and Ganesh Hegde choreographed the song scenes.

Soundtrack

The film’s soundtrack has contributions from Aditi Saigal, The Islanders, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, and Ankur Tewari. Tejas, Arijit Singh, and Suhana Khan—who is making her singing debut—are a few of the gifted talents that are enhancing the musical aspect.

The Archies, which is now out on OTT made waves on November 22nd at the 54th International Film Festival of India. The film’s premiere was attended by of Bollywood’s glitterati, such as Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and others. 

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy took down the iron barricades in front of his official residence minutes after taking charge, fulfilling a key promise of his campaign. Even before the oath-taking ceremony had finished, there was frantic activity at the Pragathi Bhavan in Hyderabad, the Chief Minister’s official residence.

Several bulldozers, tractors and construction workers were seen outside the residence uprooting the iron rods. During his intense poll campaign, Mr Reddy had said that he would remove the barricades if Congress came to power.

Earlier today, Revanth Reddy replaced K Chandrashekar Rao as the Chief Minister of India’s youngest state. The 54-year-old is only the second chief minister who has been at the helm of Telangana since its birth in 2014. Mr Reddy is known among fellow politicians and party workers for his never-say-die attitude.

The swearing-in ceremony was held at Hyderabad’s LB Stadium, days after the Congress registered a comfortable win in last month’s Assembly election. Eleven of Mr Reddy’s colleagues took their oath with him, including Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, a chief ministerial aspirant who was sworn in as deputy chief minister.

Mr Reddy and his cabinet now face the daunting task of managing the bleak coffers and fulfilling the “six guarantees” that the Congress party made during the run-up to the elections. The Congress’s robust campaign highlighting the six guarantees is said to have been one of the reasons for the party’s victory. However, finding the funds to fulfill them will be a herculean task.

The most attractive among the “six” is free travel for women in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation buses.

India’s envoy to Qatar met eight ex-Navy personnel – sentenced to death in October for reasons still not known – on Sunday, the government said this afternoon. External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “Our Ambassador got consular access to meet all eight in prison on December 3.”

On India’s appeal against the death sentence, Mr Bagchi said, “There have been two hearings so far (these were held on November 23 and November 30). We are closely following the matter and extending all legal and consular assistance. This is a sensitive issue, but we will do whatever we can.”

The next hearing is expected soon, NDTV has learned.

The Ambassador’s meeting with the sailors has been seen as a positive step – one that addresses concerns over consular access to the eight naval personnel, which seems now to have improved.

Also seen as a positive step is that there have been two hearings since India filed its appeal.

#WATCH | MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi says, “You would have seen Prime Minister Modi meet Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, the Amir of Qatar in Dubai on the sidelines of CoP28. They’ve had a good conversation on the overall bilateral relationship as well as in the well-being of the… pic.twitter.com/PfcBKtKvnm

— ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2023

News of the meeting with the eight sailors – arrested in August last year by that country’s intelligence agency, allegedly for spying – is being linked to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with the Qatar ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, on the side-lines of CoP28 summit in Dubai.

READ | Qatar Accepts India’s Appeal Against Death Penalty To 8 Navy Veterans

“You would have seen (that) Prime Minister Modi meet Sheikh Tamim nin Hamad, the Emir of Qatar in Dubai on the side-lines of (the) CoP28 (summit). They had a good conversation on the overall bilateral relationship as well as the well-being of the Indian community…” Mr Bagchi said.

The specifics of the PM’s brief meeting with the Emir have not been made public, but it does appear the Prime Minister has now taken up this matter with the Qatari ruler directly.

READ | Qatar Sentences 8 Indian Navy Veterans To Death: A Timeline Of The Case

On November 24 a Qatari court had accepted India’s formal appeal against the death sentence, which the government said had left it “deeply shocked”.

READ | 8 Navy Veterans Get Death In Qatar, “Shocked” India To Contest Order

The arrested naval personnel are Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht and Sailor Ragesh Gopakumar.

The eight ex-Navy officers include decorated individuals who once commanded major Indian warships, and were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services when arrested.

Dahra is a private firm providing training and related services to Qatar’s armed forces.

Sources said some of the sailors were working on a sensitive project – stealth submarines based on Italian technology. Media reports have claimed they have been accused of spying for Israel.

Families of the eight spoke to NDTV and flatly denied the spying allegations.

READ | “Went To Build Qatar’s Security”: Families Of Indian Sailors On Death Row

They were “not engaged in espionage for Israel”, the families said. “They went to build the Qatari Navy and build that nation’s security. They could never spy. There are no proof of allegations…”

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