The famous Riverdale gang is ready for an Indian makeover.
Riverdale's top names Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Jughead Jones, Reggie Mantle and Kevin Keller are coming to India as a musical on Netflix.
Directed by Zoya Akhtar, the story is set in 1960s India and will be adapted in Hindi.
Netflix is working with Archie Comics to bring this coming-of-age story that will introduce Riverdale teens to a new generation in India. The Archies will be co-produced by Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti and Sharad Devarajan through their production houses Tiger Baby and Graphic India respectively.
And the news of the new movie sparked rumors about its casting. Some of the next generation names are mentioned for the various roles.
Zoya nervous about the movie
Archie and his gang of exuberant young men may all be American in spirit. But their funny forms transcend geographical barriers and were / are extremely popular in India.
Interestingly, Bollywood had tried to adapt the spirit of Riverdale youth in films like Aamir Khan's star Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar and Shah Rukh Khan's hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.
Note that these were not Archie Comics adaptations, but parts of those movies did reflect his sensibilities.
Speaking about the collaboration, director Zoya Akhtar said in a press release: “I am so excited to have the opportunity to bring The Archies to life. It was a big part of my childhood and adolescence. The characters are iconic and loved around the world, which is why I'm also a little nervous."
She added, "I have to make sure the movie sparks nostalgia for a generation that grew up on comic books and yet resonates with young adults today."
Zoya Akhtar had previously collaborated with Netflix India for her short films in the anthologies Lust Stories and Ghost Stories.
Jon Goldwater, Chief Executive Officer and Publisher of Archie Comics, said: “We are delighted to partner with Netflix and trust Zoya Akhtar and her creative team to deliver a truly unique and exciting view of Archie and his people, friends through the lens of the Indian cinema. We know that these characters have global appeal and translating them into other contexts and cultures is just the beginning of what we have planned for future media adaptations.
Meanwhile, the media is reporting that Suhana Khan, daughter of Shah Rukh Khan, Khushi Kapoor, the youngest of Sridevi-Boney Kapoor, and Agastya Nanda, grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, will play the lead roles. The name of Ibrahim Ali Khan is also circulating.
Neither the director nor Netflix has said anything about the cast yet.