The trailer for the upcoming Netflix series The Royals dropped on Tuesday in an opulent, regal launch event. The show promises to bring a fresh, emotionally rich take to the rom-com genre, and leading lady Bhumi Pednekar took center stage at the event, speaking candidly about her experience, connection to the story, and the profound impact playing Sophia had on her.
Bhumi revealed that it was the strength of the script that drew her to the project.“It was the script that pushed me, that made me jump on this idea. Everybody on this table—I love, love. This genre of rom-com is hands down my most favourite. Every time I go on Netflix, I’m like, ‘What new rom-com is out? What can we explore?’”
The actress shared an interesting anecdote about how she first encountered The Royals.“I remember it was November 2023, when Rangita and I got in touch. I had dengue, so I was in the hospital. I started reading The Royals in the middle of a fever... and I just couldn’t stop. I remember telling my team, ‘Can I get another episode?’ And that’s how I ended up reading the whole series.”
Reflecting on her time with the cast and crew, Bhumi called it one of her most cherished professional experiences.“It’s by far one of the most wholesome experiences. The time we all spent together is something we cherish to this day. I’ve made some really close friends on this set—it’s a safety net you fall back on.”
Talking about her character Sophia, Bhumi expressed how deeply she resonated with her.“I’m lucky I got to play Sofia because she has so many shades. She’s powerful and stubborn, but that’s what makes her beautiful. She’s strong, nurturing, and loving. I picked up a lot of little nuances from the amazing women I worked with on set.”She added,“While playing Sofia, I realized how close she is to me—her ideology, her faith, her passion, her fire. I have a lot of fire in me too. I had to be at ease with who I am. It was therapeutic. I had to accept that the audience might see a very real part of me, and that’s okay.”
Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, The Royals is penned by Neha Veena Sharma and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications. The Netflix series is created by Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy. Featuring a stellar ensemble cast—including Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Chunky Panday, Vihaan Samat, Kavya Trehan, Sumukhi Suresh, Udit Arora, Lisa Mishra, and Luke Kenny—The Royals is set to premiere on Netflix on May 9.