The Royals, new Netflix Series dropped and has been receiving mixed reviews. While some are loving it, many are left feeling like the Royals’ – high and dry in the show. Pun Intended. Actors take you high, but the writers leave you dry. Result, it’s a trumped up 8-hour long fashion show. Here is an honest and unpaid review of The Royals.
If you are still thinking whether to watch it or not, we tell here’s an honest review. If you enjoy looking at pictures of dressed up celebrities, love to notice what kind of dresses which can be worn and appreciate beautiful jewellery – watch it. Or even if you like looking at pretty faces and hot bodies (read Ishaan Khattar and Nora Fatehi), watch. For anything else…you can so easily give this a miss.
The Royals Review
Let us start with what all is good. To be honest, Ishaan Khatter is what is good. Amid all the glam, the actor is suave and sexy, oozes raw charisma in dollops and plays the part with true panache. Looks awesome with his shirt on…and better with shirt off. But he is the casual prince…not the formal one. It goes well with the character or a reluctant royal but from a fashion show standpoint…we would have liked to see more extravagant formal attires.
You see his silly charm and the brooding looks and can easily keep your calm (absolutely forgive) for the lack of anything else.
Zeenat Aman looks stunning and her neckpieces are exquisite; Sakshi Tanwar is on point and Vihaan Samat and Kavya Trehan as Diggy and Jeanie are flawless. Actually, the prince and the princess have more poignant moments and refreshingly light.
The camaraderie between the siblings is another thing that is both enjoyable and effectively done. They fight, they mock and they support. Sibling goals…check.
Dino Morea as the Nawab plays the part of a cryptic ‘shayar’ at heart with finesse and is likeable in small measures. The show, thankfully, keeps him in small measures so that is good too. Nora Fatehi finally makes it to the show in the middle…and she is all glam and wonderfully so. For those who are commenting on her acting skills…that is not she is there for. She delivers…more than many.
Also Checl | Nora Fatehi Latest Photo in a plunging neckline lehenga choli sets internet on fire
Royal Screw Ups
Now to the bad and ugly. Let’s just say…where is the royalty your highness? And why can’t they ever truly show an empowered woman like the way she is?
I don’t blame Bhumi Pednekar…she tries and gets full marks for it. She is just an actor who I am sure delivers the brief. What is the problem is that there was no brief and no story. A royal family, struggling to make ends meet. That is not a re-invented story. What was new was never truly explored.
For instance, what does the Maharaja does other than remove his shirt and poke his tongue into every woman that walks? Why, as a son, and a person who started to wake up to his responsibility, did he not take any tactical action towards finding who ‘Maurice’ is in the first place.
And the ‘mother’ who shows signs of a woman breaking free, who knows everything and shows a rather formidable glimpse towards the end, not rush to the said ‘Maurice’ and demand what was hers?
Every fight, every angle and every emotion is half lived. You think that finally the drama would set it but that never happens. They ignite on the screen and before you know it, the fireworks are all done.
And why are the leads constantly fighting? What are they fighting for? Sadly, there is no chemistry.
But you can forget all that and even give it to them for bringing together a passable showcase of all that is ‘not’ gold. However, if you consider it a fashion show, at least get that right.
I am no fashion student but hey…even I know what a Chantilly lace is and the sari (which is frankly more of a lehenga) adorned by Sakshi Tanwar is not that. The designers themselves explain that amazing dress as ‘Handmade with brocade and indulgent Zardozi work, the archival masterpiece is matched with a multicoloured silk and Gota dupatta finished with heavily crafted borders.’ Not ONE piece of lace! Why could they not have said this?
I guess that is what is truly what is wrong with the show – its neither completely fantastical nor closer to reality. It just hangs there, choosing its moments to switch. The focus was spent on keeping the actors pretty, and they achieved that. Rest…
India’s very Own Bridgerton…Not By a Long Shot
To those who compared it to Bridgerton, let’s keep it real people. It’s nothing close to it.
First, Bridgerton is based on books that have clearly defined characters. The show takes Shonda Rhimes flavour in absolute honesty and makes it woke (maybe a tad bit more than desired at times). The words, the costumes and the actors all bring in exquisite drama and sizzling moments. And sex scenes…well, they are well thought of.
Royals, however, needs to do a bit more. Costumes were limited and replaced by designer attire. Neither the language, nor the tone matched the drama one would expect from a royalty. When Bridgerton wants to go woke, it does not dismiss what was wrong about the time period and uses its own fantastical way to paint a picture of what if this parallel universe did exist.
For Royals…somehow the royal family was quite common. They did not do or show anything which a normal rich ‘Indian’ person would be doing. There is no hard hitting social messaging, no scheming mothers and absolutely no Queen Charlotte around. Good looking men…well Bridgerton has many but Royal has only one.