Ishaan Khatter opens up on discomfort with shirtless scenes in 'The Royals', calls out overuse for visual appe

Actor Ishaan Khatter has opened up about his discomfort with going shirtless in multiple scenes for The Royals, a Netflix series that dropped last month. While his toned physique drew significant attention online, Ishaan admitted he wasn’t entirely on board with the creative choice in every scene.

In a candid interview with Mashable India, the actor said he often pushed back on what he believed were unnecessary shirtless moments. “It’s that kind of character… jo shirt nahi pehenta hai. Usko nahi jamta,” he said, describing the logic he was given. Still, Ishaan questioned the intent behind certain scenes. “I did fight with them on certain days that ‘Iss scene mein toh shirt pehen sakta hain. Iss scene mein kya zarurat hain?’” he recalled.

The actor said the team found ‘creative’ ways to keep him shirtless, even suggesting the use of a blanket while sleeping. Despite the discomfort, he followed through with the commitment he had made to the role. “I had fun doing it,” Ishaan added, though the tone hinted at some underlying frustration.

Away from The Royals, Ishaan also discussed his physical transformation for another project titled Homebound. Under the direction of Neeraj Ghaywan, Ishaan had to undergo an intense body transformation—this time shedding his well-defined muscles. “You got to lose the muscles!” he was told. “I don’t want to see a single sinew on your body,” the director insisted. Ishaan ended up losing nearly 8-10 kilos for the part.

The Royals received mixed responses from critics and viewers. While Ishaan’s performance was noted, the show was criticised for weak writing and lack of on-screen chemistry, particularly between his character and Bhumi Pednekar’s. Still, Netflix has greenlit a second season, suggesting the platform sees potential in the story. The show also featured actors like Nora Fatehi, Sakshi Tanwar, Dino Morea, and veteran actor Zeenat Aman. Despite initial hiccups, Ishaan remains committed to exploring diverse characters—even if it means raising difficult questions on set.