The narrative of The Royals takes place in the splendid yet crumbling city of Morpur and follows a comical, dramatic, and romantic journey. What starts as a business deal between a fading royal family and a clever, driven CEO rapidly evolves into an unforgettable quest filled with pride, dreams, and unexpected love. The series features Ishaan Khatter as the reserved, polo-playing contemporary royal Aviraaj Singh and Bhumi Pednekar as the CEO and ordinary individual Sophia Kanmani Shekhar, famously referred to as Aam Kumari, who possesses ambitions that go beyond any royal palace. Their lives intersect, triggering a storm of feelings as they collaborate to transform a dilapidated haveli in Morpur and its eccentric inhabitants into a luxurious B&B.

The Royals review:

We grow up absorbing tales of love between royals and commoners, beginning with Disney stories like Cinderella. Now, we have a complete series showcasing a Raja who finds no reason to undress, strives to be politically correct, and slowly becomes contrite. Conversely, we are introduced to an ordinary, self-made woman who approaches her project with such seriousness that when she starts her presentation, it seems somewhat lacking in seriousness, so to speak.

We are living in difficult times, characterized by pervasive sadness and anger. What we truly need are moments of levity, and “The Royals” provides these at just the right time. However, in terms of “content,” does it manage to keep you entertained over the course of eight episodes? Let’s find out. . .

The Netflix series begins on a Sri Lankan beach where Sophia Kanmani Shekhar (Bhumi Pednekar) is out for her morning jog and encounters Aviraaj Singh (Ishaan Khatter, who made his acting debut with Beyond The Clouds), who is bare-chested and riding a horse named Coffee. Although it's a case of hatred at first flick of fingers, the pair quickly rushes into a relationship—only to start arguing soon after. Their initial encounter sets the series' tone, which ultimately leaves you feeling exasperated.

Next, we shift to Morpur, a declining royal palace in Rajasthan, owned by Aviraaj’s family—including his younger brother Diggy, portrayed by Vihaan Samat; younger sister Jinnie, played by Kavya Trehan; their mother Padmaja, depicted by Sakshi Tanwar; and Zeenat Aman as the witty matriarch. Additionally, we receive frequent glimpses of Milind Soman, who portrays the father of the three children.

At the same time, Sophia’s team includes her business partner Kunal, played by Udit Arora; her assistant Keerthana, played by Sumukhi Suresh; and Lisa Mishra, who plays a designer named Nikki. When all of these people come together under one ruling roof, all hell breaks loose immediately.

The series offers a substantial premise—and indeed, it’s something we’ve encountered previously. However, as the narrative unfolds, it remains fixed in the premise and fails to move through the main entrance where it ought to go. Over the course of eight episodes, the romance between a royal and a commoner only trudges through a tiresome back-and-forth between Aviraaj and Sophia. Well, we cannot overlook it, can we? Because the entire narrative relies on that, while other components merely act as triggers and leave no substantial effect.

At first, they become familiar with each other, but they opt not to reveal their connection to anyone, fearing it could endanger the business. Yet, each time they encounter one another, they only recognize their disparities—which keeps them distanced. They make a dedicated effort to keep their distance and resist their attraction. Well, that proves challenging for them—and for us to witness entirely.

The narrative is set in a period when the royals are indeed impoverished and grappling with considerable financial trouble. Therefore, Sophia must salvage their royalty and maintain the grandeur of their palace. It’s a straightforward idea, but the creators take a convoluted approach to introduce a nominal romance when it isn’t genuinely present from the start. The characters work diligently to mislead viewers about what to anticipate from The Royals as a whole.

Honestly, the lead actors emerge as the most underdeveloped characters in the series, acting merely as marionettes to the script and never getting an opportunity to shine—even when the potential exists. In contrast, the supporting cast, especially Sakshi Tanwar, receives more prominent roles, which isn’t surprising. Give her any role, and she shapes it effortlessly so that it instantly becomes visually appealing. The best quotes go to her, and her interactions with every character flow seamlessly—natural and unforced.

Vihaan Samat, another performer who leaves a notable impression, grapples with insecurities not concerning his potential to be a king but about escaping the influence of royalty. The secret he carries and his eventual resolve to break free from it are quite remarkable. And that’s how a character arc ought to be—demonstrating growth and not remaining stagnant.

The Royals achieves a casting triumph by enlisting numerous supporting characters to advance the plot. However, this process leads to a deterioration in the quality of the storyline and exposes underlying challenges. Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana (of Hip Hip Hurray fame) direct the series, presenting the fluff and glossy aesthetics in the right manner. Yet, they lose control of the narrative, making even the performances of the lead actors less significant.

The facade shown throughout the series becomes a reality at the point of even surviving the purpose of The Royals and where it wants to head, actually.

The Royals verdict:

The Royals tries to serve a royal feast but ends up dishing out a lukewarm buffet of clichés, misfired chemistry, and confused storytelling. While the palace is grand, the plot barely gets past the gate. 

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