The Royals review
Cast: Bhumi Pednekar, Ishaan Khatter, Sakshi Tanwar, Vihaan Samat, Lisa Mishra, Kavya Trehan, Udit Arora, Sumukhi Suresh, Dino Morea, Nora Fatehi, Milind Soman, Chunky Panday, and Zeenat Aman
Directors: Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana

Rating: ★★★.5

The Royals, Netflix India’s most quintessential mainstream rom-com, checks off all the boxes typical of the genre. It is entertaining, glamorous, scandalous, and sometimes even risqué. However, in addition to that, the Royals possess heart as well. It is infused with genuine emotion, effectively portrayed by its large ensemble cast. Adding a sprinkle of royal luxury, the show fills a gap in Hindi entertainment, where Bollywood intersects with Bridgerton, and quite spectacularly. The Royals is by no means flawless. It has its imperfections and faults, yet in spite of them, directors Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana succeed in creating an enjoyable experience that serves as a much-needed distraction in the crowded OTT landscape of India.

What is The Royals about?

The former royal family of Morpur is in jeopardy. Maharaja Yuvnath Singh (Milind Soman) has passed away, leaving everything to his son, Aviraaj (Ishaan Khatter). However, Aviraaj, also known as Fizzy, desires nothing to do with royal duties and wishes to return to his modelling career in New York. Yet, he is compelled to remain by his mother, Rani Padmaja (Sakshi Tanwar), since the Morpurs are in financial distress. Consequently, they are obliged to collaborate with a startup aiming to launch a 'royal Bnb' in the palace. The startup's CEO, Sophia (Bhumi Pednekar), has conflicts with Aviraaj, but their confrontations ignite sparks.

What works

The Royals is an iconic romantic comedy where the lead characters experience a hate-to-love journey while also uncovering their true selves along the way. The characters in the show feel authentic, which is a significant achievement in itself. This authenticity remains intact even though the characters reside in palaces, drive Bentleys, and adorn themselves with diamonds worth crores. All of that serves merely as embellishment.

The humour is the show’s unique selling point. The comedy is situational and occasionally quite clever. The lines are sharp, and the dialogue resonates with Gen Z sensibilities. Even minor characters who appear in just one random scene get their moment to shine, such as the auctioneer trying to persuade Aviraaj to sell his Rolls-Royce alongside the Bentley as a package deal.

What distinguishes The Royals from typical shows is its serious approach to its narrative and protagonists amid all the frivolity. Indeed, there is playful banter and direct jokes about royalty and the corporate world. However, the story recognizes that these characters are living, breathing individuals, and it allows them to develop in that capacity. It certainly helps that Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar deliver stellar performances. Ishaan is quite endearing as the arrogant maharaja and becomes even more relatable when his character acknowledges his shortcomings. In emotional scenes, he truly excels. Bhumi is equally seamless in her role. The actress demonstrates her ability to embody the urban boss girl just as effortlessly as she does the tier-2 city girl. With Sophia, she presents a blend of strength, confidence, doubt, and vulnerability that makes her completely relatable.

The casting is so precise that it secures half the victory for the show. Sakshi Tanwar as the queen who adores her diamonds and luxurious art is fantastic. She captures the opulence and extravagance of royalty beautifully. Zeenat Aman as the queen mother infuses charm and wit into the role. Her screen presence and comedic timing have only improved since we last saw her years ago.

However, it's the supporting cast that truly impresses me, especially Lisa Mishra as Bhumi’s assistant. The chemistry between the two feels genuinely like best friends, establishing a strong foundation for the show. Her performance and expressions draw the audience in. The other standout actors are Vihaan Samat and Kavya Trehan, who portray Ishaan’s younger siblings. Both are lucky to have roles that depict modern royals as more than just extravagant balls and tiaras. Yet, to their credit, they infuse humanity into these characters through sincere performances. The high-profile guest appearances – Nora Fatehi, Dino Morea, and Chunky Panday – adequately fill out the ensemble, but unfortunately, the show doesn’t provide them with much material to work with. Like the Morpurs, they don’t do much; they merely exist!

Where The Royals lacks

The Royals has its share of imperfections. It occasionally risks going overboard, even though it doesn't have to. Once again, it shows a lack of understanding of how startups and CEOs function in Bollywood. I yearn to see a non-TVF production that accurately depicts how real everyday individuals live and work. However, the most significant mistake The Royals makes is in its portrayal of Maharaja Yuvnath. Milind Soman's character plays a crucial role in Aviraaj's conflict, his siblings' identity struggles, and Padmaja's aimlessness in life. Therefore, the show should emphasize his significance to all of them. Yet, (spoilers! ), Milind Soman receives a mere 2 minutes of screentime across 8 episodes. The series fails to establish a connection with the character, which consequently undermines the other protagonists' recollections of him.

Nonetheless, The Royals is a refreshing change, despite its shortcomings. I perceive it as that flawed friend who has their quirks but still guarantees a good time whenever you get together. And, woh dil ka acha hai. The Royals possess good intentions and is a lot of fun. For that reason alone, minor imperfections can be overlooked.

Read Also: ‘Ouseppinte Osiyathu’ Review: A Masterclass in Subtle Storytelling

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