The students of the year huff and puff past the finish line- Cinema express

Roots. The school or college campus has been a favourite setting for many a Hindi filmmaker over the past 30-40 years. It was also the time when a unique set of Western influences slowly started finding its roots in our films. From Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar to Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and even Student of the Year, every decade found a solid film that became the hallmark for students of that generation. Most of these films find their roots in the popular Archie Comics. Considering how even ‘inspirations’ are being called out in today’s time and age, we finally have Zoya Akhtar coming up with the official adaptation of the much-loved comics. Curiously titled, The Archies, the principal cast of the Netflix original, are from the families of Bollywood’s elite. Of course, here too, there is a roots of another kind in play, but let’s get back to it later. 

Cast: Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Vedang Raina

Director: Zoya Akhtar

Streaming on: Netflix

The Archies begins with a song that introduces us to India’s Riverdale, which is a well-connected Anglo-Indian community. The film wastes no time in introducing us to the central characters, the setting, the conflict, and the predictable resolution that will come to us 140 minutes later. But first, we get acquainted with Riverdale’s sort of Midnight Children — the batch of 1964 — who are all born in 1947 and take on the same names and character traits from the Archie comics. While this is a sure-shot way to earn the allegiance of the Archie fans in the audience, it is also alienating for the rest. Yes, some know that Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda) is a flamboyant playboy with a heart of gold. Yes, some know that Betty Cooper (Khushi Kapoor) is a symbol of innocence and goodness, and is immensely likeable. Yes, some know that Veronica (Suhana Khan) is snobbish, unaware of her privilege, but has her heart in the right place. But for the ones who don’t know, most of these characters come across as increasingly one-note and the writing doesn’t help in fleshing them out either. Even as the Bachchan grandson, the Kapoor daughter, and the Khan daughter take centrestage, it is the non-khandaani actors that get the greener side of things even if they are not always in the spotlight. 

The writing stays true to the comic books, and it is largely superficial without spending too much time to resolve even seemingly large problems. Is Archie two-timing Betty and Veronica? A hug, a few tears, a couple of laughs, a no-harm kidnap, and a mini breach of privacy later, everything is hunky dory. At one point, the major livelihoods of long-term entrepreneurs of Riverdale are at risk. Many self-made businesses are razed to the ground, and they are forced to become salaried employees in other organisations. But all of this is conveniently forgotten and brushed under the carpet when the bigger issue of a park demolition comes into the picture. This Green Park is the repository of the community’s memories, and of course, Archie and Co won’t let that happen. Even this is resolved in such a charmingly simple way but we realise we never really cared about the Green Park and just wanted to enjoy the ride. Also, the film looks like a dream, and it reminds us of the places written in Ruskin Bond novels, and there is a cute hat-tip to the legend too.  

However, at some point, we do realise it is a Zoya Akhtar film and we expect something more substantial than the superfluous look at the 60s. There are the Shammi Kapoors, the groovy dance numbers, Gold Spots, and what-not, but whenever The Archies veers away to become politically correct, there is that unmistakable Zoya touch. Be it the instance where Betty stands up for Veronica even when Archie badmouths her to wriggle out from a corner, or the beautiful scene between Reginald Mantle (Vedang Raina) and Dilton Doiley (Yuvraj Menda), and the fiery yet grounding scenes involving Ethel Muggs (Aditi Dot Saigal) and Jughead Jones (Mihir Ahuja), Zoya and her team of writers (Ayesha Devitre Dillon, Reema Kagti, Farhan Akhtar) get a lot of such scenes right. Even some of the lines, including the most hilarious one involving a pair of handcuffs and a straight-faced Suhana, are effective. However, they act as placeholders in a film that trains all its focus on being a showcase for its leads. 

While Agastya and Khushi get the more likeable characters, Suhana is burdened with a character that has to grow on us. Unfortunately, The Archies never really spend enough time to build these characters and we are left with connecting the dots ourselves, and probably judging them based on their lineage and not their calibre. All three of them are good in the song and dance routines but are a hit-and-miss when it comes to the serious scenes. It is good that there are just a few in The Archies, but it is bad because there are just a few, and the flaws are more pronounced. 

Treating The Archies as a musical is an inspired choice and the makers get it almost right, barring a couple of over-indulgent numbers, including one about politics that is so tone-deaf that it is funny. For the most part, the over-simplistic approach works in The Archies because even when it talks about identity, roots, nationalism, love, friendships, and sexuality, it is well aware of its limitations. It doesn’t want to change the world. It doesn’t want to introduce us to a new universe. What it wants to do might be a lot of things, but what it ends up doing is becoming a stark reminder of how the Indian cinema machinery works. 

The Archies is all about loving the family…albeit the ones of the stars.