Netflix film ‘The Archies’ aspires to transmit the innocence, naivety and friendship of the iconic Archie comics into a relevant two-hour long narrative for today’s young generation, said the six times Filmfare Award winner director Zoya Akhtar yesterday.

Speaking during an ‘In Conversation’ session on ‘The Archies – Made in India’ held yesterday at the 54th IFFI in Goa, Akhtar explained that catching the essence and nuances of the Archie comic, considering its huge success, and making it into a great cinematic experience for the audience was very challenging.

“It was a large part of my childhood. The characters are iconic and globally loved, and bringing a film that fuels the nostalgia of a generation that grew up on the comic and yet resonates with the young adults of today, gives a whole new experience in scriptwriting”, she added, according to a press release put out by the IFFI organisers.

Jon Goldwater, CEO of Archie Comics company, termed the project a win-win for all parties concerned, apart from being unique and prestigious.

“It’s a huge source of pride that the Archie Comics’ characters and stories resonate with fans globally, and especially  in India, for more than 50 years. The filmmakers kept the integrity and authenticity of each fictional characters intact throughout the film. The Archie team in New York are very much proud of the film,’’ Goldwater added.

Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Director of Content at Netflix India, termed it a “big moment” for the company where “we get a global franchise by doing the first ever feature film in the history of Archie comics”.

“It is a cultural film coming out of India which will also connect to the global audience”, she added.

‘The Archies’, directed by Akhtar is an Indian adaptation of the iconic comic series ‘The Archies’ and is set in a fictional hilly town of Riverdale in the 1960s India where a group of teenagers wrestle with love, heartache, friendship and rebellion.

The musical film is scheduled to be released on Netflix on December 7.