Zoya Akhtar announces The Archies, rumoured debut project of Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor and Agastya Nanda

Zoya Akhtar is set to bring the Archie Comics to life in a new musical drama set in the 1960s. The official Instagram account of Netflix India announced the project but did not reveal any details about the cast. Earlier, it was reported that Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan, Sridevi and Boney Kapoor’s younger daughter Khushi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda will make their debut with the film. Ibrahim Ali Khan’s name was also linked to it.

“Get your milkshakes ready because Archie and the gang are about to get down and desi in ‘The Archies’. A coming-of-age musical drama directed by @zoieakhtar. Coming soon to Netflix! #TheArchiesOnNetflix,” the post read. The film will be produced by Tiger Baby and Graphic India.

Zoya and her frequent collaborator Reema Kagti shared the news on their respective Instagram accounts as well. Sonakshi Sinha, Deepika Padukone, Maheep Kapoor and others expressed their excitement about The Archies in the comments section.

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Zoya said in a statement that she is ‘super excited’ to be directing The Archies. “It was a large part of my childhood and teenage years. The characters are iconic and globally loved, which is also why I am a little nervous. I have to make sure the film stokes the nostalgia of a generation that grew up on the comic and yet resonates with the young adults today,” she said.

Archie Comics CEO/publisher Jon Goldwater said that he believes Zoya will ‘deliver a truly unique and exciting take on Archie and friends through the lens of Indian cinema’. “We know that these characters have global appeal and translating them into other settings and cultures is just the start of what we have planned for future multimedia adaptations,” he added.

Also read: Zoya Akhtar talks about Made in Heaven sex scenes, says they were broken down into ‘angles and positions’

The Archie Comics follow the lives of four friends — Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge and Jughead Jones — as they navigate teenage life. While Archie is caught in a love triangle with Betty and Veronica, Jughead is known for his love for food.