Director Zoya Akhtar on Thursday said she and writer Reema Kagti didn't want to cast established names for the upcoming film The Archies as stars come with the baggage of their image.
The Archies is an Indian live-action musical movie based on the popular American comics of the same name.
It marks the acting debut of superstar Shah Rukh Khan and producer-interior designer Gauri Khan's daughter Suhana Khan, late star Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor's daughter Khushi Kapoor, and megastar Amitabh Bachchan's grandson Agastya Nanda.
Akhtar said they worked closely with casting directors Karan Mally and Nandini Shrikent and locked the cast after a year of auditions.
"We were clear that we wanted newcomers because they are such iconic characters and getting anybody who is already very well-known would bring their baggage onto it or their image onto it, good or bad. Also, they (characters) are 17-year-old in the film, so we needed kids that were teenagers," the filmmaker said at the Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest 2023 in Mumbai.
The makers also launched the first song "Sunoh" from the film at the event.
Set in the 1960s, "The Archies" explores friendship, freedom, love, heartbreak, and rebellion through the lives of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Ethel, and Dilton. It will take audiences to the fictional hilly town of Riverdale.
Akhtar said when streamer Netflix made her "an offer" to adapt and set the popular comics in India, the Gully Boy director said she couldn't refuse.
"I didn't know what I wanted to do next, they got 'Archies' to me, which is one of our favourite comics, I grew up on this. I was like, 'How can I take this, retain its essence, and make it from India?' "Since it's a global IP, I need to be able to take something from here and do it in a language that retains its original essence and speaks to kids today. We were excited about that. We have done whatever we wanted to and now we are getting scared, as always," she added.
Kagti, who has penned the screenplay of The Archies, said the challenge was to do justice to the world of comics and its characters.
"The challenge was to take an IP that may not be so relevant today and make it relevant, and also be true to each of the characters and the world of 'Archies'. It is an American IP that we are adapting in India and I hope we have done justice," she said.
Suhana Khan expressed her excitement to have made her acting debut with "The Archies".
"For me, more than anything it was about finding my feet as an actor. To be part of The Archies, which will be streaming on a global platform like Netflix, and to work under the tutelage of Zoya, I feel I perhaps had the best training and learning ground I could have asked for as a newcomer," she said.
Khushi said it was a "surreal" experience to be part of this world.
"We did go through a lot of training. We had swimming, cycling, skating, and acting workshops just to get comfortable and get into the skin of our characters. By the time it came to shoot, we were extremely prepared," the actor added.
The Archies will debut on Netflix on December 7.
Emma Raducanu during a practice session REUTERS/Andrew Couldridge
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)