Javed Akhtar thinks audiences haven’t seen anyone like Agastya Nanda since Rishi Kapoor 50 years ago: ‘Told his mother, your son is going to be a star’

Javed Akhtar is betting big on Agastya Nanda, the grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, to become Bollywood's next big thing.

New Delhi | Updated: December 14, 2023 07:32 AM IST

2 min read

Amitabh Bachchan shared his happiness as Abhishek Bachchan and Agastya Nanda made a stylish outing together.

Writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar said that he can’t praise his own daughter, Zoya Akhtar, without getting reprimanded by her, but he can praise actor Agastya Nanda, whom he described as the brightest new talent in the Hindi film industry since Rishi Kapoor over half-a-century ago. In a new interview, Javed Akhtar said that Agastya, the grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, represents a more ‘masoom’ alternative to the ‘macho, toxic’ heroes we’re seeing today. The young actor made his debut with the new Netflix film, directed by Zoya, The Archies.

The multi-hyphenate said that The Archies, which debuted on Netflix on Thursday, caters to everybody from the age of seven to 70. Recalling an incident from the film’s premiere, he told Rediff in an interview, “There was a lady, who was above 70 at the premiere, and she had tears in her eyes. She said she was reminded of her young days when she was addicted to the Archies comics.”

Also read – The Archies: Zoya Akhtar’s politically-charged film will be triggering for the Animal army

Javed Akhtar admitted that casual moviegoers would be interested in watching the offspring of Bollywood icons. Alongside Agastya, The Archies also features Suhana Khan, the daughter of Shah Rukh Khan, and Khushi Kapoor, the daughter of Sridevi. None of them, however, have received positive reviews for their performances in the film. But that hasn’t changed Javed Akhtar’s opinion. “I told Agastya’s mother (Shweta Bachchan Nanda), ‘Your son is going to be a star’. The concept of the hero so far has been of the toxic, macho man. Here is an unpretentious and masoom hero. Audiences have not seen a hero like Agastya since Rishi Kapoor in Bobby. Agastya will appeal to all youngsters, especially girls,” he said.

Also starring newcomers Dot., Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja and Yuvraj Menda, The Archies has emerged as Zoya’s least-liked feature film. Javed Akhtar wrote several original songs for the film, which featured dialogues written by his son, Farhan, and his daughter-in-law Shibani Dandekar as a co-lyricist.

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