Watch: Indian remake of 'The Archies' promises ‘60s fever for fans of all ages

Trailer for Zoya Akhtar's beloved adaptation is scheduled for a December 7 release on Netflix

The Archies is finally out with a trailer. Zoya Akhtar’s Indian spin on the popular and nostalgic Archie Comics series started rolling cameras in April 2022. The film boasts an ensemble cast featuring big debuts from star kids including Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan, Boney Kapoor and the late Sridevi’s daughter, Khushi Kapoor, and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, who will be joined by Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja, Yuvraj Menda and Aditi Dot.

Titled after the fictional rock band from the Archie universe, Akhtar’s upcoming release is a teen rom-com musical that transports Riverdale to the picturesque hills of ‘60s India. Archie and gang are introduced amidst summer love, big dreams, and an anarchist fever quintessential of its time.

Played by Nanda, Archie longs to leave the town and establish himself as a musician. As his friendship with Betty (Kapoor) tentatively nears a possible romance, her best friend from London Veronica (Khan) returns to Riverdale and pushes the three into an awkward love triangle. Alongside Archie, we encounter a cast of familiar characters, including Jughead (Ahuja), Reggie (Raina), Ethel (Dot), and Dilton (Menda).

But the group might have to set aside personal tensions for an ambitious redevelopment project by Veronica's industrialist father that threatens to overtake the town’s beloved “Green Park”. Faced with the impending threat, Archie and his gang must unite to preserve Riverdale’s cherished greenspace and their childhood memories.

Muted colours and retro fashion, the three-minute-long trailer almost gets away with its premise of a vintage Anglo-Indian Riverdale. However, strikingly absent for many familiar with the comics is the distinct townscape. One case in point is the iconic neon-lit dining establishment “Pop’s Diner” which becomes a lacklustre pile of greys and browns in Akhtar’s adaptation.

Typically, trailers are seldom an accurate judge but the film will have to delicately retain its Archie character beyond the plot or it risks becoming yet another angsty teen rebellion film. Central to such a task are its visual anchors which currently lean more towards dull than retro.

What those awaiting this grand release can expect are some fresh and energetic dance sequences to catchy rock tunes such as Va Va Voom and Sunoh which galvanise the film’s focus on youth, passion and ambition. Akhtar, who has directed various cinematic hits including Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Gully Boy, is a practised virtuoso in her field.

“We wanted the trailer to show the world that the movie is set in and its characters. We also wanted to offer glimpses of the story that underlines their friendship and coming of age,” the filmmaker said about the trailer. “The new generation of viewers, who don’t know anything about Archies, would get the feeling that they are in a fictional town.”

The Archies is scheduled to hit Netflix screens on December 7.

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