'Bollywood in 90s never saw consent, only saw molestation'

Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s new directorial, The Archies, has become all the rage with the release of its first teaser. The Indian adaptation of the comic series, Archie Comics, features star kids including Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor and Agastya Anand in pivotal roles.

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar had previously opened up about the importance of comics in her youth. “I am super excited to have the chance to bring The Archies to life. It was a large part of my childhood and teenage years,” Hindustan Times quoted her as saying.

Zoya emphasised the importance of representation and her films often navigated societal constructs that were previously considered taboo such as the need for consent. She stated, “In the 80s and 90s, you never saw tenderness, you never saw consent. But we had molestation scenes. That affects the psyche of a nation. You saw women that had no right to express how they felt, and that definitely makes a difference. So how you’re representing is key, as people need to know they’re not alone”.

Through her films, the filmmaker hopes for the youth and adults alike to resonate and find a part of themselves in her characters and explore aspects of their life that they otherwise would not.

Speaking about The Archies, Zoya added, “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.”

With the second season of her web series, Made In Heaven, featuring a homosexual man as the lead character underway, Zoya hopes to depict more LGBTQ stories and characters through her films. As we wait with bated breaths for the release of this film, Zoya took to social media to share the teaser in a post captioned, “Ain't nothing like old school. Grab your gang 'cause the Archies are coming soon on Netflix India”.

The film’s official logline gives us much to look forward to as it states, “A musical experience bursting with youth, rebellion, friendships, first loves and everything young adult, still promises to have something for every generation. We can’t wait to see the new kids on the block”. The film is set to stream on Netflix in 2023.

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