I enjoyed watching The Archies. Musical, light-hearted, positive movie, colourful with good vibes. I am so glad it doesn’t have any kind of action, violence, loud music or obscene scenes. It is filled with nostalgia. The clothes were beautiful and looked good on the characters. It was nostalgic!

Whoever cast the actors did a good job! Everyone suited their roles, I felt. Beautiful cinematography and outfits. The story and music felt a little flat but considering how iconic the original comics already are, you can’t do much without going over the top. I loved how most of the characters were similar to their comic counterparts and the story was lighthearted, as it should be. The acting was decent considering this was a debut for some of the younger actors. (I liked/didn’t like The Archies because... December 8)

Debojit Swarnaker

Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies is sure to set a new benchmark for coming-of-age films. The Indianised version of Riverdale has a phantasmagoric aura about it that transcends all barriers of time and age. Zoya introduces a fresh set of immensely talented newcomers, who like a gust of fresh air, offer us a rare cinematic experience. The music is ethereal and sure to set one in a groovy mood. The dialogue is interspersed with contemplative quips. Archie realises that the grass is greener where it is well watered. A heart is never ‘broken’, only ‘fractured’. Khushi Kapoor as Betty wins our hearts and so do the rest of the debutantes with their confident performances and pristine charm. The Archies recreates the magic of our childhood days, replete with hookups, breakups, adventures, frivolity and fun galore.

Suparna Ghosh

As an ardent reader of the Archies Digest, I was utterly disappointed with Zoya Akhtar’s recent direct-to-digital release The Archies based on the comics. Set in 1960s India, this musical drama narrates the lives of Archie Andrews and his friends residing in the scenic town of Riverdale. Though the film features a galaxy of young debutants, it surprisingly fails to establish a connection with the audience. Be it the inept performance of the cast or the poor execution of the concept, the film comprised a large number of loopholes spoiling all the fun and excitement in the first half itself. The only positive of the film is its lively soundtrack which exudes pure nostalgia. Had the plot been somewhat creative, it would have turned out to be an impressive film. In a nutshell, it has nothing fresh to offer and is best suited for a one-time watch.

Aayman Anwar Ali

At first, it looked like an English film with Hindi dubbing but the story was strong enough to convince you that you are not going to regret spending those couple of hours. Zoya is best at bringing out different and very strong issues that have a deep appeal and sends out strong messages through her films. The Archies will take back to you to your school days and will make you nostalgic. The star kids, along with the others, have just done perfectly what they were asked to and now only time will tell whether they are simply products of nepotism or have the talent to make their mark in Bollywood.

Taqi Zeeshan

What impressed me the most about Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies is that while it is a fun-filled and refreshing watch, it skillfully tackles the important issues that plague us today like corporatisation, parochialism and discrimination. Another thing I liked about it was that it addresses problems and issues that crowd a young adult’s mind. Being a bunch of 17-year-olds who are neither children nor adults, Archie Andrews and his friends have to navigate through life, balancing school, friendship and romance. What caught my eye was that though they have problems of their own, they do not shy away from responsibility when faced with a bigger crisis that affects their community as a whole.

Considering it was the first time for most of the actors, I felt that the young cast had a lot to offer. To me, Suhana Khan and Vedang Raina were the two who stood out. I would also like to mention how the girls, Veronica Lodge and Betty Cooper, handled their problem with Archie and how they stood by each other rather than fight over him. I also liked how the film included a few things that the comics did not, like female bonding and the welcoming of the third gender. The songs were extremely catchy while the dance performances were lively and energetic. Personal favourites were Dhishoom dhishoom, Plum pudding and Va va voom. Along with this were the wonderful, peachy-pink sets and the super-stylish costumes.

Rooshmi Sanyal

Kudos to Zoya Akhtar for bringing back my nostalgic teens in The Archies. It was delightful to watch the Archies gang with the names, style and backdrop as we have seen in our favourite comics. The director deserves applause for erasing flaws in the characters and making them more humane and loving. Reggie here is not jealous and crude but an active social worker. Veronica is rich not only in terms of money but also has a noble heart. Betty and Veronica’s friendship is praiseworthy as is the scene where they both confront Archie for two-timing them and make it clear that they are happy and comfortable to be nothing other than best friends. Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Mihir Ahuja, Yuvraj Menda and Dot are perfect choices for Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead, Dilton and Ethel respectively and their performances are quite praiseworthy. The story is not about a gang of teenagers roaming aimlessly but about a group of musicians and social activists determined to rectify the flaws of society. The entire team deserves love and appreciation for their remarkable work.

Kakali Mukherjee

I liked The Archies. It is a simple and free-spirited tale about friendship and saving nature. The first half explores the fun and friendship shared by the protagonists. The latter half becomes much more focused on saving the local park and overcoming obstacles in their way. There are a lot of enjoyable songs and the movie is quite a bit of a musical. Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan and all the other actors did a great job. I liked the character Betty and Khushi Kapoor’s portrayal of it.

Srinika Banerjee

I loved The Archies. I loved how they represented the characters based on Archies comics. From perfect fashion choices to an engaging storyline, the film was impressive. I loved how the actors nailed their roles, especially Mihir Ahuja as Jughead. Also, Vedang Raina as Reggie Mantle was the perfect choice. I loved how Suhana Khan and Khushi Kapoor pulled off their roles of Veronica and Betty so perfectly, especially because this was their first film. Overall, the film was a delight to watch.

Anushka Ghosh

The Archies is a colourful teen movie which celebrates the power of youth. Director Zoya Akhtar encourages the young community with this beautifully painted musical movie about saving our roots, culture, history, the world, the environment and, above all, our good habits and humanity. The story of an imaginary Anglo-Indian colony Riverdale, its ‘heart’ Green Park and the gang of teenage friends gave comfort to the heart and mind.

The beauty of this movie lies in its purity and simplicity. Every young character stole our attention with their charming acting and beautifully choreographed dancing skills. The songs, especially Everything is Politics, surprised me with its tone and beats.

This movie is a nice break from the complexities of life and is a celebration of the strength of friendship. The Archies was thoroughly enjoyable for me.

Sarbani Banerjee

I loved The Archies. The engaging storyline, power-packed performances by all the newcomers and the fantastic music made the movie a complete entertainer. Zoya Akhtar must be lauded for successfully capturing the essence of the iconic Archies comics in this Netflix film. It was undoubtedly a daunting task for her but I think even a hardcore Archies fan will admit that Zoya did the job exceptionally well. It’s a very well-made and impressive adaptation of our beloved comics. Thanks to the filmmaker again.

Sourish Misra