Netflix hosted a special screening of Indian director Zoya Akhtar’s newest release, The Archies at the famed Paris Theater in midtown Manhattan.
The event began with opening remarks from Zoya herself as well as an exclusive video from the film’s cast, who were in Mumbai promoting the movie and were unable to attend the film’s New York premiere. In each audience member’s seat there were The Archies-emblazoned tote bags filled with delicious Indian-inspired treats and memorabilia from the movie, including chili chaat popcorn, lemon mango turmeric flavored sparkling lemonade, a rose pistachio dark chocolate bar, and a “The Archies in India” comic-book!
The Archies is a coming-of-age musical comedy with a twist—it’s set in India in the year 1964. Riverdale is depicted as an Anglo-Indian town, featuring the original comics’ entire set of beloved characters; Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Ethel and Dilton. The movie begins with its catchy, upbeat opening number, “Sunoh,” a song about following one’s dreams, and embracing the flow of life and one’s youth—an extremely fitting message given the theme of the movie! We are introduced to the rest of the characters and follow along as they get involved with regular teenage hijinks, like a love triangle, birthday parties, and college applications. However, things take a turn to the more serious side when the group of friends learn that their beloved Green Park is set to be demolished and turned into a hotel, and the effects of capitalist interest start to creep into their beloved town of Riverdale. Using the powers of resilience, teamwork, and friendship, the teens must find a way to stop the demolition of the park and save the town.
What sets The Netflix version of The Archies apart from other spinoffs of the comic is that it is a multicultural film that will appeal to both older and younger viewers, all while managing to address real life issues (colonialism, capitalism, and coming-of-age) in a palatable and easy to understand way. The film is written in a mix of Hindu and English, remaining authentic to this fictional Riverdale’s historical roots.
After the screening, the party continued at the iconic French-Vietnamese fusion dining spot, Indochine in SoHo. The space was decked out with Archie-themed decor, including “Lula May” (mezcal with muddled ginger and chili, grapefruit and fresh lime) and “Indochine Martini” (citrus vodka infused with pineapple, ginger, and lime) cocktails adorned with mini roller skates, and mango lassis served in a vintage-style milkshake glass complete with a red-and-white striped straw. Mango lassi for one, please!
The Archies is currently streaming on Netflix worldwide.
Photo credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Netflix.