Why is Zoya Akhtar nervous about directing The Archies?

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar's work has always piqued public interest. As a unique and vibrant voice that has delivered films like Luck By Chance, Gully Boy, and others, there is always something exciting brewing as far as Zoya is concerned, and with Reema Kagti, her most trusted and closest collaborator, by her side, the OTT platform too is now part of the repertoire. One such exciting project is The Archies, the Indian adaptation of the iconic comic series that will be made for Netflix.

Zoya, speaking to an online daily about the project, alluded to the pressures of "introducing" the comics and also translating the sensibilities to the Indian audience. The world of Archie Andrews belongs to the fictional town of Riverdale and Akhtar's film will be an attempt to recreate the same charm in 1960s India for a live action-musical. "I am excited about the chance the bring the comics to life," said Zoya Akhtar in the same interview and stated that there is a personal connection for her with The Archies because they were a prominent part of her own young years. And yet, she is nervous because she deals with a set of characters that are globally loved and ingrained in the memories of many from her generation. The objective, she adds, is to "stoke the nostalgia of that generation" and ensure it resonates with the young adults of today.

The Archies will also mark the debuts of not one but three star kids - Suhana Khan (daughter of Shahrukh Khan), Agastya Nanda (grandson of Amitabh Bachchan), and Khushi Kapoor (daughter of Boney Kapoor and sister of Jahnvi Kapoor). While there is no confirmation as to who dons which role, reports suggest that Suhana plays Veronica Lodge, Khushi Kapoor will be seen as Betty Cooper, and Agastya Nanda as Archie Andrews. Dot, Mihir Ahuja, Yuvraj Menda, and Vedang Raina make up the rest of the Archie gang. This will be the first solo production of Tiger Baby Productions and will be a direct Netflix release in 2023.

On the other hand, Zoya Akhtar has wrapped up the much-awaited season 2 of Made in Heaven for Amazon Prime Video. Reportedly, the project is currently in the post-production stage and will be out soon - the show, for the unversed, follows the trials and tribulations of two luxury wedding planners played by Arjun Mathur and Sobhita Dhulipala. Zoya is also associated with OTT show Dahaad which stars Sonakshi Sinha, Vijay Varma, and Sohum Shah.