Ishaan Khatter - Bhumi Pednekar's The Royals slammed by royal representatives: 'Honour their true story'

Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar's The Royals is garnering attention for the wrong reasons. Released on Netflix, the new romantic comedy-drama The Royals is making headlines for varied reasons, and one of the most discussed parts is over its alleged misrepresentation of Indian royals.

Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, the series features an ensemble cast including Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea, and Milind Soman.

Backlash against The Royals

Premiered on May 9, The Royals has received mixed responses. While some viewers criticised the plot, others were baffled by the portrayal of Indian royalty in the web series.

As the debate over how the show put the Indian royals in a bad light, The Royal Fables, India’s only heritage platform that showcases the craft, culture, and cuisine of Princely India, has penned an open letter to Netflix, condemning the show for its inaccurate portrayal of modern-day royals.

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Anshu Khanna, founder of The Royal Fables, in a post thar she wrote, “on behalf of the 565 princely states of India.”

“Dear Netflix, We just finished watching The Royals and immediately felt the strong urge to reach out to you on behalf of the 565 princely states of India who were portrayed fairly sweepingly in your show.” One of the main points of contention was how the series portrayed royal families as struggling or eccentric. “Royal families are not POOR,” the letter stated. “They are not selling their palaces or making money from bat poop! They are landowners and inheritors of a rich legacy that they are monetising.”

In another post, Royals Fables wrote that we should stop making a ''mockery of the word ‘royal’ and use it so loosely.''

''There are so many other subjects out there. But, if and when we do it, it should be backed by research and sensitivity,'' they wrote.

The Royals have also been the subject of argument over the portrayal that many view as incorrect. However, a section of the internet has defended The Royals, saying that the show is a piece of fiction and should be treated and viewed like one.

The Royals review

Wion's Shomini Sen wrote,''Unfortunately, the show’s flaws are much more glaring. It ultimately dumbs down everything and makes every character and their problem look very lame. For the longest time, you don’t quite get what Aviraaj is running away from or why Sophia gets anxious thinking of her parents. We are told she is impulsive and he is an escapist – but the reasons remain unknown. Also, their falling in love seems slightly misplaced. It is also a shame to underutilize so many of the actors,'' read the review here.