The Cast of The Archies Travels Through Time to Grace Vogue India’s September-October 2023 Cover

The idea of an Archie Meets The Punisher crossover comic in 1994 or Jughead Jones harboring lycanthropic lineage, facing off against a vampire-transformed Veronica Lodge, was far from anyone’s expectations. Yet, these unconventional events unfolded in the beloved Archies comic, charming teenagers since their debut in 1941. When tasked with bringing the ever-youthful Riverdale teens to life in their first live-action film, director Zoya Akhtar decided to place them in a fictional utopia nestled in Ooty. Here, dancing, singing, biking, and picnicking are the norms, and the only looming dark cloud is Archies unending pursuit of both bookish Betty and the vixenish Veronica. It’s what ’90s kids adored about the original comics—a portal to a place where nothing could go wrong, even as real-world issues threatened to encroach upon us.

Directing a group of seven newcomers was no small task, even though some came from illustrious Bollywood families. Akhtar reveals that the cast underwent an intensive boot camp to prepare them for the film. “I wanted them to be comfortable from the get-go. There are 200 people on set, a camera in your face, and you have to perform on cue. It’s daunting,” she says empathetically. “I wanted them to overcome all of that before they arrived on set, so it was crucial for them to bond with one another. They went through an extensive boot camp involving dance classes, acting workshops, and cinematography training. Acting is a technical job, and they needed to learn to cycle and skate. They did exceptionally well, but what made it beautiful was that I got to vicariously relive my own debut through them, as everything was a new experience for them. Their constant wide-eyed wonder, which I had somewhat forgotten, filled me with immense joy.”

While Akhtar and I converse, the set bustles with activity. The set is being assembled, cameras are set up, and the seven debutants simultaneously have their hair and makeup done. Although Khushi Kapoor’s Betty bangs have grown out, the Archie-red hue has faded from Agastya Nanda’s hair, and Yuvraj Menda’s eyes are no longer concealed by Dilton-sized glasses, it’s clear they are still very much in character. “Can we get some food for Mihir [Ahuja], please? He’s famished,” someone calls out. I can’t help but suppress a giggle; it’s such a typical Jughead request. Suhana Khan is equally absorbed in her phone and making sure her hair is perfectly blow-dried—a task I could easily envision Veronica attending to if The Archies were not set in the ’60s. Vedang Raina needs to do little more than suck in his cheeks, smirk, and allow a stray lock of hair to fall over his forehead to convince me he is Reggie. The only outlier is musician Dot, who exudes a more eccentric Luna Lovegood vibe than the boy-crazy Ethel Muggs she plays.

It’s evident that the cast gets along famously off-screen, possibly bonded by their shared anticipation of the success awaiting them as they venture into acting together. “I hope it stays this way,” Akhtar says with a smile, observing Khan and Kapoor cheering on Menda during a photo shoot. “I hope they continue to support each other throughout their careers because they’ve been excellent—excellent for each other and excellent with each other.”

_{Repurposing the article originally published in vogue}