Nostalgia is a powerful emotion, and it’s the main reason why filmmakers keep cashing in with old media franchises. Archie has been reimagined before, with the bewildering twists and turns of the CW’s Riverdale, but this time, it’s India’s turn with the franchise, and Graphic India and Tiger Baby Films partnered with the original publication to reimagine the town as an Anglo-Indian community in The Archies. The production design is undoubtedly stunning, with the maximalist Bollywood spectacle borrowing from 60’s Americana, and the musical numbers aren't half bad either. However, it’s the story and characterization that falters, as it feels like the leads are just going through the motions of the familiar love triangles. The film is still fun to watch, but ultimately, it feels like The Archies relies on spectacle to make up for its shortcomings.

An Indian rendition of the classic American Archie comics wasn’t expected, but the idea itself isn’t bad. Director Zoya Akhtar is able to infuse so much of the welcome nostalgia through leaning all-in in the classic 60’s aesthetics and the lovely rock-and-roll tracks, and reimagining Riverdale as an Anglo-Indian community to make the Western aesthetic believable. Even the story comes straight from the 60s, as Riverdale looks and feels like the idyllic suburban community that families would want to protect from gentrification. That being said, any possible anti-capitalist sentiment the story could express isn’t here at all, as half the leads come from prominent families in Bollywood. It’s still fun, if you can ignore that it’s clearly created to launch nepo actors into stardom.