Zoya Akhtar’s directorial venture, The Archies, which introduces star kids Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, and Agastya Nanda, premiered on Netflix on Thursday. The film not only showcases the talent of the debutants but also highlights the collaborative efforts within the Akhtar family. Zoya’s brother, Farhan Akhtar, and father, Javed Akhtar, have played significant roles in the making of the film. Javed Akhtar contributed by penning the lyrics of the album, while Farhan Akhtar provided the Hindi dialogues for the film.
Zoya Akhtar shares Javed Akhtar wrote The Archies’ lyrics, and Farhan Akhtar handled the Hindi dialogues
Zoya Akhtar shared with News18 that Farhan Akhtar played a pivotal role in shaping the Hindi dialogues. He skillfully translated a blueprint into his unique syntax, harmonizing it with the language’s nuances and the straightforward charm of Archie comics. Capturing the corniness and humor of the comics proved challenging, but Farhan successfully brought those elements to life. Notably, he introduced the phrase ‘Va Va Voom’ from the comics into the song.
The Dil Dhadakne Do director also commended her father Javed Akhtar’s versatility as a writer, highlighting his ability to craft lyrics for diverse films like Lagaan and Rock On. However, when it came to The Archies movie, she acknowledged that it was a tough brief. Achieving simplicity can be tough, especially since the goal was to evoke a 1960s teenage voice. The lyrics had to strike a balance by being Anglo-Indian, avoiding an overwhelming use of Urdu or Hindi. They needed to be simple, communicative, and conversational, all while fitting seamlessly into a rock-and-roll meter.
In the interview, Zoya disclosed that Javed Akhtar shared with her the challenge he faced while writing the album’s lyrics – he had to intentionally forget 85 percent of his vocabulary. Additionally, she revealed that for certain songs, he collaborated with Aditi Saigal, also known as DOT. Aditi, a musician in her early twenties and a lead role player in The Archies, worked in tandem with Javed Akhtar. He composed the Hindi lines, while she contributed the English ones, and the collaboration proved to be highly successful, according to the Luck By Chance director.
About The Archies
This coming-of-age musical drama unravels the life events of iconic characters such as Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Ethel, and Dilton. Taking place in the fictional town of Riverdale, the film delves into themes of friendship, love, and rebellion. Noteworthy is that The Archies takes inspiration from the American comic book series of the same name.
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