Zoya Akhtar promotes 'The Archies' on 'The Daily Show' with Kal Penn: 'It was our portal to the US'

Filmmaker Zoya Akhtar appeared on ‘The Daily Show’ with host Kal Penn this week to promote her recent release, 'The Archies.'

During the interview, Kal and Zoya reminisced about a dinner at her place where her dog had a mishap with Kal's brie and choked on the food.

Zoya humorously narrated the incident, describing how they had to intervene swiftly to help the dog, eliciting laughter from the audience.

Kal then shared his experiences with unusual requests from Indian paparazzi, like being asked to lie down. Zoya, in contrast, praised their sweetness. She recounted a moment when she fell in front of the paparazzi and requested them to refrain from publishing the photos, to which they kindly agreed.

Zoya also spoke about her film ‘The Archies’.

When asked what made her take on the project, she simply said that Netflix approached her with it.

She expressed how ‘Archie’ was a universal read and served as a gateway to the US for them.

Kal also asked Zoya about the scene between Reggie and Dilton that is a hit with many of those who watched the movie.

Zoya talked about the decriminalization of homosexuality in India recently and how that has brought along a healthy change.

‘The Archies’ is a coming-of-age musical that follows the lives of Archie, Betty, Veronica, Jughead, Reggie, Ethel, and Dilton. It takes audiences to the fictional hilly town of Riverdale. The film explores friendship, freedom love, heartbreak, and rebellion. It is currently streaming on Netflix.

The movie stars Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Agastya Nanda, Yuvraj Menda, Mihir Ahuja and Dot.

‘The Archies’ premiered at the 54th International Film Festival of India on 22 November 2023, and was released on Netflix on 7 December 2023. The film was released to mixed reviews from critics.

Also Watch | Anushka Sharma, Virat Kohli mark 6th anniversary in the UK: ‘Day filled with love and friends and family’