Agastya Nanda, Bollywood's brightest new talent: Javed Akhtar

Javed Akhtar, a renowned writer and lyricist, has praised actor Agastya Nanda, describing him as the brightest new talent in the Hindi film industry since Rishi Kapoor. Akhtar mentioned that Agastya, who is Amitabh Bachchan's grandson, represents a refreshing change from the 'macho, toxic' heroes prevalent in the industry.

He made his debut in the new Netflix film, 'The Archies', directed by Akhtar's daughter, Zoya Akhtar. The film, according to Akhtar, appeals to all age groups. He recalled an incident where a septuagenarian woman was moved to tears at the premiere, as the film reminded her of her youth and her fondness for Archies comics.

The film also features Suhana Khan, Shah Rukh Khan's daughter, and Khushi Kapoor, Sridevi's daughter. Despite the lack of positive reviews for their performances, Akhtar remains optimistic about Agastya's future, stating that he told Agastya's mother, Shweta Bachchan Nanda, that her son is destined to become a star. He believes that Agastya's unpretentious and innocent portrayal will resonate with the audience, particularly the younger generation.

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.