Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is only a few people’s idea of an Indian Archie movie. But since The Bollywood Archies isn’t doing so great, maybe that ought to change. Because the Archie comics influence in India is nothing to sneeze at. But why?
Archie Is India’s Americana
If you’re one of the few people who don’t know what Archie is, here’s the outline. It a series of comics going back to 1941 about the life of the titular high school boy and his peers. Chief among the lovable oaf’s cast are his love interests: girl next door Betty and rich girl Veronica. The series is best known for Archie unable to pick a steady relationship between them. Thankfully Betty & Veronica are best friends despite their rivalry for Archie’s affections.
Since the 40s, Archie has been all about coming-of-age in America at its best. Not that the audience is limited to the US, especially India. The comics came on the 60s Americana Wave, with a book store depot owner noticing a growing fanbase in the 70s. So after arranging an import deal, Archie Comics became a Indian sensation from the 80s onwards. The expressive art, slapstick, and simple view of America were an innocent look at life far away.
Want More Archie? Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
As Archie and other sitcom influences sink into India’s cultural bedrock, inspiration strikes. If you take a close look at the award-winning and high-grossing Kuch Kuch Hota Hai you might think this is Archie fan-fiction. I mean you’ve got an everyman in a love triangle with a girl-next-door and a daughter of influence. Who happen to become best friends in spite of loving the same guy. Plus the Veronica of this movie’s father looks like Principal Weatherby and Ms. Grundy is played by a comedian.
So why is this movie a classic while India’s official Archie movie has a so-so rating?
Acting
One of the biggest complaints of The Archies is the nepotism angle of the actors. But honestly, India seems to have a culture of families sharing an industry. Surprisingly, the Veronica actress is the daughter of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai‘s Archie. That said, this was her debut and it kind of shows.
To Suhana Khan’s credit, she evokes Ronnie the Diva in both looks and attitude. Between her clothes and catfights with Khushi Kapoor, she sells how humble Veronica gets to the plot’s situation. But Suhana still has a long way to go in comparison to her father.
Shah Rukh Khan has very big shoes to fill even in Hota Hai. The way he expresses himself allows readers to feel how much his character develops. Rahul Khanna goes from being a lovestruck college student to a man rediscovering love’s importance. It certainly helps that SRK was very invested in this movie, being friends with the director and helping the young and inexperienced film crew adjust.
Writing
Being a Bollywood movie from the 90s, some things from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai might seem a bit cliche. Like how the romance story between Rahul and Kajol’s Betty character is more of an escape. But at the heart of the story is how 3-4 people show their love for one another. Like how the Veronica of this movie names her daughter after her rival. The daughter fulfills her mother’s dying wishes to reunite her heartbroken father with her namesake. Rahul realizes what he still has means to him after losing two of his loved ones. Finally, through a shared love of performing with Rahul’s daughter, Kajol’s Anjali can express the feelings she hid from herself.
As for The Archies… it feels like a vanilla series of vignettes from the comics.
Themes
Which is where we have to go over the overarching themes: that old itch nostalgia. Both of these comics use the Archie comics to create a virtual West inside of India. Not just settings and clothing but ideas as well, with parental loyalties going against personal desires.
But the problem with The Archies is that it’s a series of Easter Eggs in Bollywood musical numbers. If anything it’s about indulging in nostalgia for an idealized version of 1960s Northern India. While the themes of modernization vs. gentrification has potential, it’s ultimately just lip service.
Meanwhile Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is about how nostalgia can be both good and bad. You have the main characters who obsess over an idealized love life. So when things don’t work out they start to fold in on themselves. Thankfully the powerful memories they leave behind serve as a source of inspiration. Not just to move forward but come to an understanding on a newer, better version of who and what you love.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai To You
Ultimately, Archie remains an influential force in the Indian subcontinent. But what’s the point of that influence if it leads to complacency? It’s one thing to imagine a perfect world so different from your own, but you can’t live in your fantasies. Sometimes things don’t work out because they’re always changing.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai wasn’t just a tribute to Archie comics with its Easter Eggs, it was a passionate risk thanks to inspiration from past experiences and encouragement from friends. Unlike the Archies which was just stylized safety nets.
Thanks for coming to the end and always, remember to look between the panels.