Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar is all set to launch seven new talents in her much-awaited Netflix original The Archies. The release date of the movie was announced this week. Ahead of its release, Zoya opened up how she managed these seven new actors on the sets in her interview with Vogue. Zoya Akhtar also talked about how these actors developed bonds with each other during the shoot. The Archies marks the grand debuts of Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda, Khushi Kapoor. Mihir Ahuja, singer Aditi Saigal (who goes by her stage name Dot), Vedang Raina and Yuvraj Menda are also part of this ensemble cast.
Zoya Akhtar revealed that these newcomers were put through “an intense boot camp” to prepare them for the movie. Zoya Akhtar told Vogue, “I wanted them to be comfortable from the get-go. There are 200 people on set, there’s a camera in your face and you have to go up and perform when the word ‘action’ is said. It’s daunting.”
Zoya added, “I wanted them to be over all of that by the time they came to set, so it was very important for them to get along with one another. There was this big boot camp where they had dance classes, acting workshops and cinematography training. Acting is a technical job. They had to learn how to cycle and skate. They did very well, of course, but the beauty of it was that I got to vicariously relive my debut through them because everything was a new experience for them. Their constant wide-eyedness, which I’d kind of forgotten, filled me with so much joy.”
The camaraderie among Agastya, Khushi, Suhana, Vedang, Mihir has already drawn our attention. They made appearances together from Anurag Kashyap’s daughter Aaliyah Kashyap’s engagement party to promotional activities for The Archies. Commenting on their off-screen bond, Zoya Akhtar told Vogue, “I hope they champion each other throughout the course of their respective careers because they’ve been so good – they’ve been good for each other and they’ve been good with each other.”
Zoya Akhtar also wished the actors for their first billboard with an adorable post today. Sharing a frame with the actors, Zoya wrote in the caption, “Your first hoarding is up kiddos. May there be many more May you never stop working hard and forever remain wide eyed I wish you the world. @mihirahuja_ @khushi05k @dotandthesyllables @suhanakhan2 @vedangraina @yuvrajmenda #agastyananda.”
Take a look at Zoya akhtar’s post:
Meanwhile, Netflix India shared a video of the cast posing with the billboard at the Western Express Highway and they captioned it, “Hamari kahaani ka countdown shuru ho chuka hai (The countdown to our story has begun). This is a daily reminder that #TheArchies are making their grand entrance on December 7th. #100DaysToGo.”
Take a look at the post here:
The Hindi adaptation of Archie Comics has been directed by Zoya Akhtar and it has been co-produced by Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti and Sharad Devarajan under their production houses Tiger Baby and Graphic India.
