Netflix’s new original drama, The Royals, offers style and sizzle, starring Ishaan Khatter in his most fearless role to date as King Aviraaj Singh—a contemporary king with power, passion, and scandal on his mind. Shot in a luxurious, fictional Indian palace dripping in opulence, the series teases steamy intrigue and doesn’t shy away from the drama.
Khatter, often shirtless and unapologetically charismatic, leaves himself to the role of a torn royal torn between heritage and desire. His rapport with lead lady, Sophia, played by a determined and confident female CEO, becomes the show’s centerpiece firepower. Their rollercoaster, slow-burn romance provides the series’ emotional anchor, even if some might find it too melodramatic.
Though dazzled by production design and fetching costuming, the storyline here proves thin at the center. The twists come across as manufactured, with palace intrigue falling victim too frequently to soap operas of bad-blood-and-power posturing. Promising a great story about power and love, this series gradually unravels itself toward dull predictions and repetition.
Nonetheless, aficionados of romantic drama and high-shine escapism might well get hooked on The Royals. It’s a guilty pleasure— stunningly filmed, fervently performed, but creatively empty. Star power saves it for Ishaan Khatter, though even royalty cannot deliver a storyline forgetful of its throne.
