Count me in first when it comes to romance shows, because I'm the one who sits down in the moment when two people are struggling to decide whether they hate or like each other. So it wouldn't surprise you if I was eager to watch two of Bollywood's hottest stars pine for each other in a world brimming with opulence, glamour, and tons of unnecessary drama. But, you know, there's always a "but" when a review starts with expectations that are then shattered by disappointment. To be honest, The Royals isn't a terrible show, but it's not great either.
The series follows Sophia Shekhar, the CEO of a hotel company, who is eager to create a new experiential B&B that involves living with a royal family. Then she meets the king of Morpur, Aviraaj Singh. Aviraaj's big problem is that he's just been crowned, despite having been away for years following his father's death. Will the crown be a burden for him, or will he adapt to it with ease? The connection between Sophia and Aviraaj is unexpected at first, but soon, as you can imagine, they realize they can help each other. But does this work for them, or does it make things worse?
Creator: Neha Sharma
Stars: Mohit Verma, Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar
Yes, I know, as a premise, this series sounds super exciting, but there's something very chaotic about its execution. For starters, it feels like it's trying to be more comedy than drama, like when you're trying to get into a cold pool and suddenly someone pushes you hard and cold water falls on you—cold water being the drama of The Royals. I thought the comedy was pretty decent, and despite some of the dialogue being incredibly cheesy and the entire plot a bit corny, the actors deliver their lines with sincerity, and it shows. I don't know; it never feels like the actors are trying to sound cool. But, as far as dramatic moments go, I think the show is a bit inconsistent in how it shifts its tone between the two, making it difficult to feel any kind of emotional connection with the characters in distress. Or maybe it's just that I'm not a royal. It's not easy to relate to, you know?
But that's not what we were trying to do by starting a series literally titled "The Royals." I guess we're always stuck with the same narrative that rich people are actually good at heart and just don't understand the gravity of their, well, wealth. It's an age-old story: "Yes, I'm a king, but I also have emotions and internal conflicts like you commoners, but I do it shirtless, on my impressive horse, which I can't let go of." The thing is, I found the show's supporting characters much more interesting than the two-dimensional protagonists: a woman who wants to prove herself at work and a man who has daddy issues.
The show is filled with all the pomp and grandeur needed for a Netflix artist. It has the hip-hop music, the slow-motion, the (almost) nudity, the expensive palace, and, of course, some very interesting costume design. The icing on the cake is the romantic "will they or won't they" narrative. what's behind it all. To be honest, I've always enjoyed Hindi romance series like Miley Jab Hum Tum and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Du, so when I watch a Hindi series online, I expect it to be similar to those gems that were part of my formative years. But I've realized that over the years, with OTT platforms, I guess the freedom of not being censored allows for terrible narratives and outrageous scenes, something we didn't have before. While I'm not opposed to sex on screen, I can't help but feel like the focus now is on being as sexual as possible rather than using sex to drive a cute story, if you know what I mean.
When Nadaaniyan was released, there was a lot of talk about how it was trying to broaden its audience by bringing in veteran actors as supporting characters to inspire nostalgia. The Royals does the same with a long list of veterans, including the legend himself, Zeenat Aman, Chunkey Pandy, Sakshi Tanwar (the flag-bearer), Dino Morea (I guess he had fun doing it), and Milind Soman. I know it's a long list and they're merely supporting characters, but it's something.
The Royals makes the most of the global influence it can muster. The style of some characters, the plots, and even the hip-hop music are reminiscent of shows like Young Royals and other opulent teen romances. But the difference here is that the stakes aren't as high, and somehow it all feels a bit like Indian food without the masala. Ultimately, The Royals tries to create something new, but it comes off as almost derivative, which is its biggest problem. I'd give The Royals 2.5 out of 5 stars for its attempt, and I hope that if there is a second season, it will address its shortcomings.
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