Man on a mission is Alyy Khan. With a mind-bogglingly large portfolio, Khan moves softly from project to project. Accompanied by a plethora of Hollywood, Bollywood, and Lollywood stories, the actor boldly advances with a decision that epitomizes allowing one’s work to speak for itself.
After finishing The Archies and experiencing its reception, the actor, who plays Hiram Lodge in the movie to a tee, had a conversation exclusive with The Express Tribune. “I guess when they were casting it, my name must have come up, and then the casting director called me, with whom I’ve worked before,” is how Khan begins about the onboarding process.
Khan describes how he found out that Zoya Akhtar, his “old friend,” was the director. He requested that Akhtar call him from the casting director. “After Zoya called, I said, ‘Let me read the script to see how it’s written and what the plot is all about.'” She sent me the script really politely, and presto! I jumped on it because I liked it,” he says.
“Super fab, really comfortable and most importantly, honest – where we can trust each other and we can take criticism, because it’s for the better of the project, for the work you’re involved in,” Khan says in regards to working with Akhtar. Thus, I appreciate her opinion if I’m creating a scene a certain way and she says, “No, change it like this.” This is because I understand her perspective on the story’s overall meaning. Thus, it’s a wonderful experience. She’s really laid back, friendly, and accommodating. Simply put, a superb director at the pinnacle of her craft. Definitely among the greatest in Bollywood, if not the greatest.”
“I did a script read-through with the cast, followed by hair and makeup, where they pretty much spend hours on you, and then costume took over, and then we did a whole photo session,” Khan recalls the two- to four-month shooting process. I therefore went to Bombay for a week, returned in time for Ramadan, and then went straight to the set to join them. They were already at Ooty; the entire movie was filmed in this South Indian hill town. We only shot the last scenes in Mauritius since the Southwest monsoon arrived early and eventually rained us out of Ooty. We spent the last monsoon filming.”
He continues, saying, “It’s amazing to work with such professional equipment, or rather, such a professional machine. There are cogs in every area. It operates within a well designed framework…Every day of yours is expertly scheduled…Everything functions as it should; you are but a small cog in a larger machine that comes into being, does its job, and then leaves. And that wheel never stops revolving.”
Despite being an avid reader of Archie Comics, the actor made it apparent that he did not have any of the original material with him on set. “I’m performing the narrative and the script individually on the set. I never even brought the comic book onto the scene. Since the current age is likewise wholly unaccustomed to The Archies, one performed it accordingly, regardless of the lines or the circumstances. It also needs to be relatable to the general public, much like a regular movie with Archie, Betty, and Veronica as the main protagonists. You don’t look at the film and apply the comic book experiences to it. All you have to do is watch it as an Anglo-Indian narrative film set in the mid-1960s.”
The Archies presented audiences to Agastya Nanda, the grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, Suhana Khan, the daughter of Shah Rukh Khan, and Khushi Kapoor, the daughter of Shridevi. Khan comments on whether or not dynamics on set were affected by the “star kid” element. “Nope, dude,” he replies. “Everyone in the ensemble cast is portraying a different role. You are the character, not that person, at that very instant, regardless of who you are.It was quite informal. There was a lot of brotherhood…Everything is like one giant family.Everyone was your average person.”
The actor also says that he was unable to “send enough praise their way,” praising the “fantastic” performances of the youthful group. “They worked really hard, supremely trained, totally dedicated, thoroughly professional,” he says. They gave it everything they had, taking it as seriously as they could because it’s their careers. With all due respect for it. He also calls attention to the outstanding portrayal of Jughead by Mihir Ahuja, describing it as “a bit more desi and had a bit more desi emotion in the film.”
Giving The Archies Props, Khan continues, “It’s a really wonderful movie, in my opinion. It is, in my opinion, very subtle. It’s poignant without being overly theatrical or Hindi film-like.It’s not your typical Karan Johar-directed Hindi picture, Student of the Year. The movie is really tasteful. mature and subtle. Observing Zoya Akhtar’s progression over time and the actions she took to get here demonstrates her complete confidence and mastery of her trade.” He also praises several of the story’s elements. “The Reggie-Dilton tale is elegant and nuanced…The question that plagued Archie was why it was impossible to love two people at once. What a lovely idea for a young person to have. We’ve all experienced it.Take a look at the political comments that Zoya is making. It’s not your typical Bollywood movie.”
But not everyone concurs with Khan. Viewers’ reactions to The Archies have been conflicted, with unrelated videos of Suhana and Khushi circulating online. Khan says, “I think it’s really bad taste.” “It’s hatemongering, unpleasant, and cruel, in my opinion, anywhere in the world. Opinions are liberated and belong to everyone. Everyone was chosen, in my opinion, solely based on merit, and each person is outstanding in their own right. I believe that everyone did a fantastic job delivering their role, and nobody appears uncomfortable or like a novice.”
“All of the hate that is directed towards Suhana is unwarranted; it’s not her fault that she is Shah Rukh’s child,” he says. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Did Suhana, though, have a tantrum? Was she having an outburst? Has she ever given you the impression that she is Shah Rukh Khan’s child? Never. She was the most beautiful, kindest, and diligent person I had ever met.No one had a negative attitude.”
Khan also voiced his thoughts on the nepotism controversy. Khan mentions the path taken by Sachin Tendulkar’s kid to follow in his father’s footsteps, saying, “A doctor wants his son to be a doctor in every single field.” And so forth. Hence, it goes without saying that your friends, your parent’s friends, and their offspring will mostly emulate you if you were raised in a well-known celebrity household. Ultimately, Red Chillies Entertainment is an empire that Shah Rukh Khan built. If not his children, then who is he going to leave it to? Additionally, why shouldn’t his children be eager to carry it on and inherit it?”
Khan challenges the argument by citing his personal experience. “Although I’ve worked in the industry and don’t come from a traditional film household, I don’t have animosity toward those who do. I wish you well, boss. Each person shapes their own destiny. In addition, a snippet of Khan from Nadir Ali’s podcast has been making the rounds, in which he discusses how the actors worked on their skill for a full year. The edit concludes with Khan stating that it’s a lost cause if one still can’t improve after a year. Khan responds, “I think that’s horrible.”
“I think it’s really unfair, you know, because, again, taken out of context, you can skew anything for anyone. It makes the person stand in a really bad light.”
Khan stresses his educated assumption as to why the movie hasn’t connected with mainstream audiences: “I think it’s not a Bollywood film that they were typically expecting, and it’s different from Zoya’s normal work.” He expresses confusion over how a story with “so many affirmations and so much positivity” is being viewed through the lens of “preconceived notions.”
The actor underlined the film’s quality once more and mentioned that he has added the song to his Spotify playlist. In closing, he says, “The movie’s message is that it’s never too early to make a difference in the world.The holidays are quickly approaching. I believe it’s a wonderful feel-good film, so I advise folks my age to get their kids to sit down and watch it. For those who haven’t seen it, especially the younger ones—our generation will see it because we all identified with the Archies and read it.It has some crucial messages that the current generation must hear.”
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.