Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar, who is known for her films like Gully Boy and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, is going to helm a project based on Archie comics. Titled The Archies, Zoya took to Instagram and shared a hilarious comic strip in which the four main characters – Archie, Veronica, Jughead and Betty – are seen having a conversation about who will be cast for the musical drama. Several celebrities got excited to see the ‘desi’ adaptation of Archie and the gang.
“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”, the filmmaker said in a statement. The musical drama will release on Netflix.
The musical drama will be set in India in the 1960s and is a feature film adaptation of the comics produced by Tiger Baby and Graphic India. It will introduce the teenagers of ‘Riverdale’ to the new generation of India.
Taking to Instagram Zoya wrote, “Archie and the Crew are about to get Down and Desi! “The Archies” A coming-of-age musical drama directed by me Coming soon to Netflix!”
Many celebs like Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan, Maheep Kapoor, Navya Naveli Nanda, and even Shibani Dandekar expressed their excitement towards the project. Hrithik went, “woah woah woah” while Deepika wrote, “Love.” Shibani, who is currently in a relationship with Farhan Akhtar, wrote, “This is soooo cool.”
Filmmaker Karan Johar, who was recently honored the Padma Shri Award, also commented on the post and wrote, “So excited ZO,” followed by several red heart emojis.
Earlier, Zoya’s The Archies’ was being rumoured to be the debut of Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan, Boney Kapoor and Sridevi’s daughter Khushi Kapoor and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda. However, no confirmation has been announced yet and Zoya is set to finalise the cast of the project.
The film will be produced by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, under the banner Tiger Baby and Sharad Devarajan under the banner Graphic India and Archie Comics.
In the meantime, Zoya’s last big-screen film, Gully Boy was a super hit at the box office. It starred Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in lead roles. The movie was co-written by Reema Kagti. The movie featured the life of an aspiring street rapper from the Dharavi slums of Mumbai.
