'The Royals' Review: Drama Served In Silk With A Side Of Palace-Sized Guilty Pleasure

The Royals

Streaming on Netflix

Rating - *** (3/5)

Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar, Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar and more

Directed By: Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana

Produced By: Pritish Nandy Communications

So here we are. The Royals has been watched. And while "Ji Hukkum" echoes in the background of my brain and Fizzy and Soph's loud drama bangs around like Diwali firecrackers in a tin can, let's dive in. For starters, to everyone who had imagined this to be a desi Bridgerton... stop right there. Nope. It's not that. Sure, there's a ball. Yes, there's royalty. There are enemies and exes and extravagant palaces. But Bridgerton? That vibe? That storytelling? That magic? Nada.

The plot isn't particularly twisty or mind-blowing. If you've seen ten Netflix rom-coms, you've likely already seen versions of this show. Drama? Check. Scandals? Check. But surprise? Not really. What The Royals does give us, though, is a world where a widowed Rajmata (Zeenat Aman) who grows her own weed, understands situationships, and encourages her widowed bahu to get laid, lives in the same palace where family honor still matters because, of course, "praja kya sochegi?" It's a cocktail of contradictions served in a glitter-dipped goblet.

At the heart of Morpur is the royal family, trying (and failing) to keep it together. Rajmata, played by Zeenat Aman, is vibe personified. Weed, wisdom, and wicked plans all wrapped into one fabulous woman. Then there's Sakshi Tanwar as the widowed Maharani (dipped in diamonds and not-so-desi traumas and called - Paddy) with her three wildly different kids. First, there's Aviraaj aka Fizzy (Ishaan Khatter), a Casanova-turned-king material. He doesn't give a damn about the palace until he suddenly does. He also doesn't care about shirts, apparently. But Ishaan owns it, from carefree charmer to broken romantic, he nails every beat. Then comes Digvijay aka Diggy, the sane sibling with a clear moral compass, a refreshing arc, and ambitions that extend beyond champagne and selfies. And finally, there's DivyaRanjani aka Jinnie (Kavya Tehran), the rich brat girl we love to hate and hate to love. No job, no stress, and all the best outfits. She sulks about inheritance like it's a missed spa appointment.

On the flip side, we meet the so-called commoners (though calling them that is ironic when they're all dressed like GQ covers). There's a startup called The Work Potato run by Sophia (Bhumi Pednekar), who is as CEO chic as it gets and also has a complicated past with Fizzy. Cue the romantic tension. Her ex and co-founder Kunal (Udit Arora) tags along, and they're joined by the ever-enthusiastic team members Nikki (Lisa Mishra) and Keertana (Sumukhi Suresh), hustling hard to get their latest project: Royal BnB off the ground.

Royal BnB, yes. The idea is to turn the royal palace into a vacation experience for the rich-posing-as-commoners. Logic? Please leave the room. But yes, it's a win-win: Work Potato gets a marquee client, and Morpurs gets money to save their palace, Motibagh, after the death of their Maharaj (Milind Soman, whose main role is being framed in pictures and appearing in flashbacks).

Fizzy and Sophia are oil and water with unresolved romantic tension. The story lurches forward as they're forced to collaborate for the BnB project. And from here unfolds a glorious mix of petty arguments, nostalgic flashbacks, steamy encounters (that do pop up out of nowhere and feel awkward sometimes), and chaotic business meetings in couture. Let's be real. The first three episodes feel like sipping flat champagne; you expect fizz, but all you get is lukewarm nothingness. But hold on, because the last three episodes? That's when the real drama hits. Romance intensifies, family dynamics explode, and the show finally finds its voice. And what a voice it is. Loud, sparkly, sometimes nonsensical, but full of heart.

If nothing else, The Royals is a visual treat. The production is stunning. The sets are majestic, the costumes are divine (seriously, Bhumi's stylist deserves an award), and every frame looks like it walked out of a royal-themed Instagram filter. From balls to polo events, it's a royal Pinterest board in motion. Everything in this series screams opulence, even when the storyline begs for more depth. The sheer aesthetic high this show offers is enough to forgive some of the plot holes that could rival the sinkhole in San Andreas.

Nobody really knows if they love or hate each other in this palace. Every relationship has layers of manipulation, buried trauma, and fake smiles. And while that might seem confusing, it's deliciously entertaining. One moment they're fighting, the next they're hugging, like Diwali at your toxic cousin's house. And let's not forget the passive-aggressive one-liners wrapped in silky sarcasm, passed like royal heirlooms from one character to another. The writing may be patchy, but it delivers some punchy zingers when it counts.

Ishaan Khatter deserves extra points for every shirtless scene. But seriously, as Aviraaj, he delivers a nuanced performance, emotional, intense, charming. He's the perfect mix of broken royal and romantic lead. Bhumi Pednekar owns the role of Sophia. Impulsive, sharp, ambitious. It's refreshing to see her in an urban, stylish avatar, and she enjoys every second of it. Her wardrobe could be a Pinterest board on its own , every pant-suit, every vest, every earring a statement. This is the Bhumi we needed, and frankly, she slays. Vihaan Samat absolutely steals the show. His arc is surprisingly rich, and yes, the chef's kiss twist is everything. Sakshi Tanwar is a revelation. She brings vulnerability, cunningness, and charisma in equal measure. Zeenat Aman? Iconic. A stoner Rajmata who rules hearts and households with equal flair. An absolute legend.

Lisa Mishra holds her own and lights up the screen whenever she appears. Sumukhi Suresh, sadly, is let down by the writing. Her puns fall flat, but she still makes her presence felt. Dino Morea, Nora Fatehi, Chunky Panday, they do what is asked of them, and that's about it. But still, even in their limited presence, they add to the sparkle and spice.

Now, this might be controversial, but let's talk about it. Is there a Netflix clause demanding LGBTQIA+ representation in every show? Because The Royals throws it in (no spoilers), and honestly, it feels very forced. If you're going to do it, do it with sincerity and depth. Not just because you checked the diversity checkbox. A storyline that could've broken barriers ends up feeling like a checkbox moment, which is not only disappointing but also slightly tone-deaf when the rest of the show is screaming high drama.

The musical score doesn't linger long after the credits roll, but two songs make an impression: the throwback "Tu Tu Hai Wahi" remix and the party anthem. The intro song "Who Rules the World" is a banger and will definitely go viral on Reels and TikTok. It captures the essence of the show in one catchy line. The background score otherwise weaves in well but doesn't stay with you for long.

The Verdict

So, what is The Royals? It's glitter. It's drama. It's chaos wrapped in silk and served with a side of emotional damage. It's that guilty pleasure show you want to mock but end up watching till 3 AM. Logic? Throw it out. Depth? Okay. But entertainment? Absolutely. The show doesn't pretend to be a thinker. It knows it's campy and extra, and it leans into it like a royal doing a dramatic slow-mo turn at a ballroom entrance.

If you're in the mood for a visual treat, hot mess characters, fabulous outfits, messy romances, and palace politics — this is your binge. As they say, "Is family ki koi sasti pratha hai kya?" No. But thank god for that. We don't want sasti. We want extra. We want drama. And The Royals delivers it all in a glitter bomb of madness.