I’m taking much of the rest of 2023 off, but there are a lot of Hindi films hitting streaming in the days to come. Here’s what to look forward to (note that titles on Amazon Prime and Zee5 may be available in the United States the day before):
If you really, really want to plan ahead for the future, I wrote a massive preview of all of the new Indian Original series and movies coming to Netflix in 2024 and beyond for What’s on Netflix. It was quite the undertaking, but I’m pleased with the results.
Thanks again for another wonderful year at Access Bollywood — and special thanks to everyone who donated via PayPal and Venmo! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! — Kathy
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One of Netflix’s most highly anticipated Original films turned out to be one of its most underwhelming. Much of the hype leading up to the release of The Archies had to do with its cast of newcomers, some from prominent Bollywood families. None of them are at fault for the film’s problems, which are rather due to uncharacteristic missteps by the film’s writer-director, Zoya Akhtar.
Based on the Archie comic books, the movie takes place in 1964 in the fictional Anglo-Indian hill town of Riverdale, India. The story is centered around the town’s teenagers, including Archie (Agastya Nanda, Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson), his neighbor Betty (Khushi Kapoor, Sridevi’s daughter), her best friend Veronica (Suhana Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter), and their pals Reggie (Vedang Raina), Jughead (Mihir Ahuja), Ethel (Aditi Saigal, aka “Dot”), and Dilton (Yuvraj Menda).
There are various romantic entanglements and crushes within the group, the most chaotic of which is Archie’s fondness for both Betty and Veronica. Those complications get pushed aside when Veronica’s wealthy father Hal (Satyajit Sharma) pressures the town council to let him build a hotel in the middle of Green Park: a place important to Riverdale’s young people. Archie and friends get a quick education in political organizing and band together to save the park.
When the story focuses on the teens, it’s pretty entertaining, if mostly surface level. Mihir Ahuja as Jughead is the only one with prior acting experience, and his performance is the most assured. The rest of the young actors show promise, particularly Suhana Khan’s dancing and Khushi Kapoor’s attentiveness toward her fellow performers during scenes.
Things slow down when the adults get involved, sapping the dynamism from the film. The teens are absent from a lot of these scenes, shining a spotlight on their expository nature. Was there no better way to convey information than via grownups sitting around talking?
The slow periods stand out because The Archies is structured more like musical theater than a typical “Bollywood” movie. Many of the songs flow out of conversations and have lyrics that are literal rather than metaphorical. You can sense how scenes would physically transition from one to another were this to be turned into a stage musical. Even in this movie version, the scenes with adults talking need to feel just long enough to allow for a set change to happen in the background, and no longer.
Considering that The Archies is a musical, it’s unfortunate that its songs are so forgettable. “Sunoh” and “Va Va Voom” — the two tunes Netflix used in their promotions for the film — are the best of the lot. Instead of using an upbeat number during a rally for the park, Akhtar uses the ballad “Yeh Saari Aawazein.” Betty periodically sings some of her diary entries, but the performance style is too contemporary and feels out of place.
The disappointing quality of the songs is countered by novel, entertaining choreography. There’s something going on in every corner of the screen in the tune “Everything Is Politics.” “Dhishoom Dhishoom” is danced entirely on roller skates. On top of that, the film’s styling and costuming is top-notch.
Good elements like choreography and costume design can’t counterbalance the film’s structural issues and overall underwhelming vibe, unfortunately. Akhtar’s vision for The Archies is interesting, but the execution isn’t up to her usual high standards.
Indian comedian and actor Kanan Gill is the romantic lead in a Norwegian Christmas movie. Yes, you read that correctly. Gill stars in the English/Norwegian Netflix Original film Christmas as Usual.
Jashan (Gill) and his girlfriend Thea (Ida Ursin-Holm) live together in Los Angeles. He proposes marriage a few weeks before Christmas. She accepts, despite their short courtship, and then invites him to spend Christmas with her family in Norway.
In what is quickly revealed to be a recurring problem, Thea neglects to share some very important information. She doesn’t tell her mom Anna-Lise (Marit Andreassen) that Jashan is Indian. Anna-Lise is awkward from the moment Jashan steps out of the taxi, and things don’t really get any better.
Christmas in Thea’s family — which includes her brother Simen (Erik Follestad), sister-in-law Hildegunn (Veslemøy Mørkrid), and little niece Ronja (Matilde Hovdegard) — is a multi-day schedule of events that must be completed in a specific way, more to alleviate anxiety rather than because anyone enjoys them. It’s been this way every since Thea’s dad died.
Given how rigidly Thea’s family adheres to tradition, it’s in everyone’s best interest for Thea to share the rules with Jashan in advance. But she doesn’t. Virtually all of the conflict in Christmas as Usual stems from Thea needlessly withholding information. The simplistic plot mechanism neutralizes a lot of opportunities for humor in what is at times a pretty funny film.
It also undercuts the “culture clash” angle that the movie is going for. Anyone who’s not Norwegian would struggle with Christmas at Thea’s house, accidentally deviating from rules that they don’t even know exist. At some point, it’s fair to call into question how much of Anna-Lise’s disapproval of Jashan is just racism and not him being an outsider.
To its credit, Christmas as Usual directly addresses some of Norway’s persistent racism. Jashan has a humorous reaction to finding out that there is a (real) spice brand named “Hindu.” It’s also entertaining when Simen and Hildegunn make some well-meaning but clumsy attempts to connect with Jashan about his heritage.
Those who primarily watch Indian films will appreciate Jashan’s use of a well-timed Hindi curse word and a closing scene set to “Punjabi Wedding Song” from Hasee Toh Phasee.
When jokes land, it’s largely thanks to Gill’s terrific performance. He gets the tone of the humor just right and elevates the written material with his perfect delivery. Who knew “Christmas movie boyfriend” was a role that would suit him so well?
It’s hard to get a sense of Ursin-Holm’s abilities since Thea spends most of her time grimacing at the unfortunate consequences of her refusal to communicate.
Christmas as Usual doesn’t veer far from the standard Christmas movie formula — which is fine, since familiarity is part of the genre’s appeal. But Kanan Gill’s surprisingly charming performance makes this one to consider when you’re in a Christmas mood.
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Next week is going to be really busy for new streaming-exclusive Hindi films. The big one, of course, is The Archies (read my preview at What’s on Netflix) on Netflix on Thursday, December 7. [For some reason, Netflix is adding the theatrical release Dhak Dhak that day as well.] Then, on December 8 — although more likely the afternoon of the 7th in North America — Amazon Prime debuts the comedy Mast Mein Rehna Ka starring Jackie Shroff and Neena Gupta and Zee5 launches the Pankaj Tripathi thriller Kadak Singh. Clear your schedule, ’cause there’s gonna be a lot of new stuff to watch!
[Disclaimer: my Amazon links include an affiliate tag, and I may earn a commission on purchases made via those links. Thanks for helping to support this website!]
