The Royals trailer: Bhumi Pednekar - Ishaan Khatter's royal situationship amid palace problems fails to impress

The highly anticipated Netflix series The Royals' trailer was released on Monday. The ensemble cast includes Bhumi Pednekar, Ishaan Khatter, Sakshi Tanwar, Zeenat Aman, and Nora Fatehi.

The trailer reveals that Morpur's royal family, once considered the elite of society, is now crumbling under the weight of debt.

About the trailer 

Ishaan Khatter stars as Aviraj Singh, a polo-playing prince poised to inherit the fading riyasat (lineage) of Morpur after his father's death. Bhumi Pednekar plays Sophia Kanmani Shekhar, a self-made entrepreneur. The story unfolds as the two join forces to transform Morpur's crumbling haveli and its eccentric residents into a luxury bed-and-breakfast.

The trailer positions the series as a rom-com, where the leading man and woman, initially at odds due to ideological differences, gradually fall in love. Eventually, Bhumi and Ishaan's characters find themselves romantically entangled.

The narrative taps into Gen Z's evolving idea of romance, particularly the concept of a "situationship," as their characters develop feelings for each other amidst ongoing confusion and emotional uncertainty.

Netizens expressed disappointment with the casting of Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar, criticising Bhumi's expressions and claiming she looks older than her co-star.

A user wrote, "She looks like she could play his mother."

Another mentioned, "Bhumi and Ishaan, what an odd-looking pair!!"

The third one mentioned, "Ishaan with Bhumi? Who cast them as a pair? She is clearly looking older than him..

What did Ishaan and Bhumi say about their respective role in the film?

"To share the screen with such legendary and accomplished actors has been inspiring and a joy. The Royals is a fresh, modern-day rom-com — zany, unpredictable, and packed with surprises. There's a lot of love, drama, humour — something for everyone. Maharaja Aviraaj is the most frustratingly charming character I've essayed, and I hope the audience enjoys him as much as I enjoyed playing the role," Ishaan said about his role in the series.

Talking about her character, Bhumi said, " Playing Sophia felt like stepping into a world that's both aspirational and deeply relatable. She's fierce, ambitious, and emotionally honest — qualities I've always been drawn to. "

Set to hit Netflix on May 9,  The Royals marks Bhumi's series debut and Zeenat Aman's first collaboration with Netflix. The show is written by Neha Veena Sharma, produced by Pritish Nandy, and directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana.

The Royals marks Ishaan Khatter's return to screens following his Hollywood debut in Netflix's thriller series The Perfect Couple, led by Nicole Kidman. For Bhumi Pednekar, this is her first leading role in a streaming series. She was last seen in Mudassar Aziz's Mere Husband Ki Biwi, alongside Arjun Kapoor and Rakul Preet Singh.