Zoya Akhtar’s 2023 movie, The Archies, saw star kids- Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda, and Khushi Kapoor making their debut. The movie failed to please the audiences and, for a long time, has been the talk of the town. While Zoya, the filmmaker, did defend the star kids and her casting decisions, there were many arguments related to nepo babies overshadowing the other young stars in the musical comedy drama movie. Now, The Archies director, Karan Mally, revealed how Suhana, Agastya and Khushi had to undergo auditions before signing the movie.
The Archies director, Karan Mally, shares that Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda, and Khushi Kapoor had to give auditions
Karan sat down for an interview with Galatta India and spoke about the casting process of The Archies. The 2023 movie gained attention as it had the star kids-Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda, and Khushi Kapoor, who had pivotal roles in the debut movie. Karan made the records straight by stating that the star kids had to give auditions and cleared the air that their selection was not done without auditions. Karan shared:
“We conducted several auditions, including with star kids and other aspiring actors as well. Eventually, we did whatever we felt was right. When we were working, we thought we were doing good work. We never thought about who was whose child. Zoya isn’t even like that — we didn’t consider that while casting,”
Karan revealed that regardless of the filmy background that Suhana, Agastya and Khushi came from, they had to undergo screen tests. The Archies were in hype because of the star kids, but it got slammed for taking them in pivotal roles, as critics felt that the movie would have done well if the newcomers were not there. The Archies cast was brutally trolled, and a lot of negative things were said about the performances of Suhana, Agastya and Khushi. The topic of nepotism became widely discussed.
Suhana is the daughter of King Khan, while Agastya is the grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, and Khushi is the younger daughter of Boney Kapoor. Karan did clarify that Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, and Boney Kapoor were not involved in the casting process of Suhana, Agastya and Khushi. Karan shared that they all underwent auditions and noted:
“Be it Bachchan sahab, Khushi, or Suhana’s parents — I met all of them at the premiere. They were never involved before that.”
Karan Mally reveals how Vedang Raina went unnoticed
The Archies also had newbies such as Mihir Ahuja, Vedang Raina, and Aditi Seigal. They were seen as the fresh faces, but the director did admit that they did not get the attention that they deserved. This is because the discussion came down to the performances of the star kids and the fact that they were roped in the movie. Karan did say that the team tried their best to stay honest to the comic book while filming The Archies. Karan shared:
“Vedang bhi usi mein se nikla hai. He was studying and modelling, got his audition, and he looked like the best fit for the role. In Archies, only these three kids were talked about, but there were so many people who went unnoticed. We tried to match the comic book completely.”
What are your views on Karan Mally revealing that star kids- Suhana Khan, Agastya Nanda and Khushi Kapoor undergoing auditions for The Archies?
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