There was much talk about nepotism and star power in Bollywood in 2020 when rising young star Sushant Rajput died in an apparent suicide with criticism about star sons and daughters getting ahead of everyone in getting great lift-offs in movies by established production houses and directors.
Well now the true next generation of Bollywood star sons, daughters, grandsons and then some are being launched by established filmmaker Zoya Akhtar with a comics adaptation called The Archies, Netflix’s coming-of-age, live action musical set in 1960s India based on the teenagers of Riverdale.
By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files
MUMBAI – There was much talk about nepotism and star power in Bollywood in 2020 when rising young star Sushant Rajput died in an apparent suicide with criticism about star sons and daughters getting ahead of everyone in getting great lift-offs in movies by established production houses and directors.
Well now the true next generation of Bollywood star sons, daughters, grandsons and then some are being launched by established filmmaker Zoya Akhtar with a comics adaptation called The Archies, Netflix’s coming-of-age, live action musical set in 1960s India based on the teenagers of Riverdale.
Young actors Mihir Ahuja, Dot, Yuvraj Menda and Vedang Raina will feature in the film’s cast. They are joined by Khushi Kapoor, the daughter of the late actor Sridevi and producer Boney Kapoor and sister of Janhvi Kapoor; superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan; and Agastya Nanda, the grandson of revered actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, reported Variety.
The feature film adaptation of the Archie comics, which are hugely popular on the Indian subcontinent, will be produced by Akhtar and Reema Kagti for Tiger Baby and Sharad Devarajan for Graphic India. It is written by Kagti, Akhtar and Ayesha DeVitre (“Kapoor & Sons”).
Set in the 1960s, the musical drama is directed by Zoya Akhtar (“Gully Boy”). “A musical experience bursting with youth, rebellion, friendships, first loves and everything young adult, it still promises to have something for every generation. The film has the iconic gang of The Archies’ at the center of it, and perfectly matches the youthful energy, hope and excitement of the sixties era,” reads a Netflix pitch for the film.
Akhtar’s 2019 music-themed film “Gully Boy” played at the Berlin Film Festival and was India’s entry for the Oscars. She has directed segments of Netflix anthology films “Ghost Stories” (2020) and “Lust Stories” (2018). The first season of Amazon series “Made in Heaven,” created by Kagti and Akhtar, was nominated at the International Emmys, reported Variety.
