Fix: Bollywood Musicals, 1960’s, Love Triangles, Friendship, Teen Activism
Platform: Netflix
Netflix Summary:
Set in 1960’s India, Archie and the gang navigate romance, friendship and the future of Riverdale as developers threaten to destroy a beloved park.
FYA Summary:
In this Bollywood remake of the Archie Comics series, Riverdale is a multiracial community founded by an English officer and his Indian wife in 1914. Fifty years later, Archie, Betty, Veronica and the rest of the teenage cast are the first generation to come of age since India’s independence. When wealthy developer Mr. Lodge’s latest project threatens the town’s historic Green Park, the kids are determined to save the trees – that is, if they can manage to sort out their tangled romantic lives first.
Familiar Faces:
Agastya Nanda as Archie Andrews
Whoever plays Archie needs charm, or else the love triangle is impossible to believe. Luckily, this actor has it in spades.
Khushi Kapoor as Betty Cooper
She may be the girl next door in every sense of the word, but she can be fierce when provoked, and her quiet, introspective songs made me feel for her.
Suhana Khan as Veronica Lodge
She’s flirty and spoiled, but not heartless; loyal to her developer father, but also to the friends whose families Lodge Industries is putting out of business. It’s a difficult balance, but Khan pulls it off as gracefully as the choreography of all those group dance numbers.
Couch-Sharing Capability: Class Reunion
You can watch this with someone who remembers the 1960’s, and can critique the fashion and music, someone who remembers reading the comics, and/or someone who is new to the series can be introduced to the classic love triangle.
Recommended Drink: Pop Tate’s Milkshake
In a tall glass, with a tower of cream (diet permitting) and a cherry on top, just like in the comics. A second straw for your date is optional.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Va Va Voom!
Bollywood or not, this adaptation feels more faithful to the comics (in my opinion) than Riverdale ever did. It has that same old-fashioned innocence you rarely find in Western teen culture nowadays. “I get a huge kick out of life,” Archie says. In this year 2024, I can’t even remember the last time I heard someone say that unironically. I needed to watch this, and cynicism notwithstanding, some of you may as well.
