Latest news with #Kull:TheLegacyoftheRaisingghs
The Print
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Print
Palace dramas are the new OTT soaps. Real royals are just embarrassed
'The irresponsible prince spending his time womanising and partying; Palaces crumbling while the family is given to personal extravagance; Women spending their time draped in jewels waiting to be rescued by the men – these tropes have existed for 200 years,' said Tripurdaman Singh, senior research fellow at the Geneva Graduate Institute, who is currently working on a project exploring decolonisation in India's princely states . It's a classic case of the emperor being outfitted with new clothes. The big-budget shows on modern-day aristocrats were released within 10 days of each other. They are riding the wave of popularity drummed up by shows such as Downton Abbey (2010) and The Crown (2016). But their voyeuristic take on the rich and fabulous lives of dethroned kings and queens and their heirs is missing the mark. Instead of offering viewers something new, they are reinforcing stereotypes. New Delhi: A cash-strapped prince with a penchant for removing his shirt and an ambitious CEO flit and flirt in Netflix's new rom-com, The Royals. At the same time, three millennial scions are mired in intrigue, murder and drugs in Jio Hotstar's Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs. Both are lopsided, lampoonish, and ludicrous. After overdosing on the Mirzapur template of gritty, saucy small-town dramas, the next frontier for streaming platforms is extravagance. With the wildly successful The Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives (2020), the other island of decadence and excess is royal families. India's royal stories are more muted, especially compared to the reservoir dogs' climactic drama of Nepal's palace murders, but it has unlimited soap opportunities too. Netflix has dropped details of Season 2 of The Royals, while producer Pranjal Khandhdiya is developing a web series on the life of the late Maharani Gayatri Devi. On bookshelves, a surge of both fiction and non-fiction is capturing royal intrigue—from historian Anoushka Jain's highly-anticipated Badass Begums to British author Tasha Suri's romantasy, The Jasmine Throne. The appetite for palace drama, whether on screen or in print, is only growing. Aviraaj Singh (Ishaan Khatter) in The Royals has the urge to disrobe at the drop of a hat—whether he's dancing in his room or astride a horse while playing polo. Indians absolutely have an appetite for palace plots. Just look at our soap operas. Palace plots are nothing but that, on a larger scale–with chiffons, pearls, and history thrown in. But unfortunately, unlike Downton Abbey or The Crown, political and social context is almost entirely absent in shows like The Royals–which seems like an extended Instagram reel rather than well-crafted television – Tripurdaman Singh, historian At the other end of the spectrum, Raisinggh prince Abhimanyu (Amol Parashar) is more likely to be snorting cocaine in his room. Not too long ago, there was that Fawad Khan-Sonam Kapoor movie Khoobsurat (2014) – an embarrassment of royal proportions that left the real-life maharanis and maharajas of India's erstwhile princely states gobsmacked. 'This is not how we live,' said Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil, daughter of the titular Maharaja of Bhavnagar, Vijayraj Singh Gohil. 'I cannot imagine or know anyone who would play polo shirtless. It is not fictionalisation, but a caricature and simply ridiculous,' she said. It's a missed opportunity. According to Ormax Media estimates, Kull and The Royals garnered 3.1 million and 2.5 million views, respectively, on just the first weekend of their release. The two web series have also made it clear that, when it comes to the representation of Indian royals, makers often fall back into the comfort zone of exhausted stereotypes. 'Indians absolutely have an appetite for palace plots. Just look at our soap operas. Palace plots are nothing but that, on a larger scale–with chiffons, pearls, and history thrown in. But unfortunately, unlike Downton Abbey or The Crown, political and social context is almost entirely absent in shows like The Royals–which seems like an extended Instagram reel rather than well-crafted television,' said Tripurdaman Singh. Kull vs The Royals Netflix's PR machinery was quick to compare The Royals with its hugely popular show Bridgerton (2020), an alternative rom-com set in the United Kingdom's Regency period from 1795 to 1837. But Bridgerton is rich in its storytelling as well. The Royals focuses on the relationship between Maharaja Aviraaj Singh of Morpur and Mumbai-based startup CEO Sophia Kanmani Shekhar. The royal family lives in Motibagh Palace in Rajasthan, which has seen better days, and wants to climb out of debt. Enter Sophia, a CEO who wants to convert the palace into a 'Royal B&B'. But the push and pull between Sophia with Aviraaj is tedious. 'Think of it as a Barbara Cartland novel rewritten by a social media intern who just discovered the word 'situationship',' wrote senior film critic Saibal Chatterjee in his review of the web series. Audiences, too, have shared their verdict through edits, videos, and reviews of the highly publicised show. Everything in it has been scrutinised and found wanting – from Khatter's endless shirtless scenes to Pednekar's acting and the limited screen time allotted to the legendary Zeenat Aman, who plays Aviraaj's grandmother. 'To me, the most problematic aspect of The Royals was showing them as young people latching on to the past,' said Anshu Khanna, founder of Royal Fables, a platform that promotes the art, heritage, and lifestyle of Indian royalty through exhibitions. 'To begin with, a bit of homework and research, a more honest portrayal, and less flamboyant costumes would have helped.' This is not how we live…I cannot imagine or know anyone who would play polo shirtless. It is not fictionalisation, but a caricature and simply ridiculous —Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil, daughter of the titular Maharaja of Bhavnagar Despite mostly poor reviews, the show climbed to the number one spot on Netflix's list of most-watched non-English shows. Stories of modern royalty have been explored in films such as Shyam Benegal's Zubeidaa (2001), Shashanka Ghosh's Khoobsurat, and Sooraj Barjatya's Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015). OTT shows such as The Empire (2021) and Taj: Divided by Blood (2023) focused on reinterpretations of Mughal history. And until The Royals and Kull, streaming platforms have, for the most part, limited themselves to documentaries or fictionalised interpretations of historical events. If The Royals is light and breezy, then Kull is its dark but equally flawed counterpart. Co-created by Ekta Kapoor and directed by Sahir Raza, Kull veers into soap opera territory. Scandals and secrets unravel within the tall, gilded walls of a palace in the fictional town of Bilkaner, as a power struggle brews between three royal siblings: Indrani (Nimrat Kaur), Abhimanyu (Amol Parashar), and Kavya (Riddhi Dogra). ''Kull can be compared to Shakespearean dramas that are dark, gritty, suspenseful, and tragic with a touch of melodramatic soap operas,' wrote Prachi Arya in her review of the series. Everything in the show seems to have been inspired by Game of Thrones (2011) – from the haunting theme song to the death of a king in the beginning. Kavya is a young entrepreneur who has a major stake in her father's hotel business. She is shown dressed in crisp formals, brokering deals about a show about her illustrious family. With streaks of blue in her hair, she is portrayed as the embodiment of a 'modern royal'. Her brother Abhimanyu is a drug addict and spendthrift who relies on his older sister Indrani – married to a politician's gay son – to bail him out. Both shows have opulence, lavender weddings, and sibling rivalry – and are set in Rajasthan. 'It is as if royalty does not exist anywhere outside North India. Isn't it tiring to just show Rajasthan over and over again?' asked Khanna. There are, however, logistical reasons for choosing Rajasthan—throw a stone and you'll hit a heritage haveli or a palace hotel. 'I think a reason why Rajasthan becomes the location of choice is because the permissions are easier. Most of the palaces in the state also have very strong Instagram hooks, because creators keep going there. Sometimes, it's simply the budget,' said a member of Kull's creative team who did not wish to be named. Also read: Is the golden age of OTT over? Censorship, stars, and the shift to 'safe' content What real royals do There's a scene in The Royals when the dowager, the queen, and the princess proudly declare that they don't work. That's not entirely true in real life. The scions of some erstwhile royal houses do lead lavish lives, but they're running businesses, becoming actors and models, or have become prominent politicians. Brijeshwari Kumari Gohil was born and raised in Mumbai, has a bachelor's degree in archaeology and art history from the University of Nottingham, and a master's degree in heritage management and conservation from Durham University. Now, she has dedicated her life to preserving the art, architecture, and cultural history of her ancestral hometown in Bhavnagar. Akshita M Bhanj Deo from the royal family of Mayurbhanj in Odisha is an entrepreneur, communication strategist, and the editor-in-chief of a lifestyle magazine. 'I'm not hosting a durbar—I am visiting boardrooms,' she said in a 2021 interview. Urvashi Singh of Khimsar, Rajasthan, is a publisher, hotelier and entrepreneur. And modern-day princess Padmaja Kumari Parmar from the Mewar dynasty, which traces its ancestry back to 730 AD, is the executive director of Business Development for the HRH Group of Hotels, a philanthropist, and the global ambassador for Breakthrough T1D. Radhikaraje Gaekwad, the titular Maharani of Baroda, shared a lengthy post on Instagram on 29 May with the caption, 'What watching The Royals elicited in me'. She wrote about the challenges faced by Indian royals, from the dissolution of monarchy to the abolishment of privy purses. 'The 'real' royals, meanwhile, have rolled up their sleeves and are running India's best-known music festivals, museums, hotels, even constituencies and states–an impressive number being the ladies of the house–Gwalior, Jaipur, Bikaner and Kotah to name a few. Ouch to purdah and patriarchy!' wrote Gaekwad. After Independence, India's royal houses traded their palaces for politics—from the Scindias of Gwalior to Karan Singh of Jammu and Kashmir. That legacy continues even today with Dushyant Singh (Scindia-Shinde lineage), Vishvendra Singh (the titular Maharaja of Bharatpur), Diya Kumari (the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruling Maharaja of Jaipur) and the newly elected Yaduveer Wadiyar of Mysore. However, the prominence of these royal figures and their work in the public domain has not necessarily translated into well-researched shows or films. Khatter's role in The Royals is seen as a reference to Padmanabh Singh, head of the former royal family of Jaipur. Lovingly called 'Pacho', the maharaja has been modelling since he was 17, walking the ramp for Dolce and Gabbana, U.S Polo Association, and other big brands. Like the character of Aviraaj – who is alternatively called 'Fizzy' in the series – he studied at New York University and plays polo, though not shirtless. His Instagram account, with half a million followers, documents his modern life. 'Royal families stay relevant through social media, but there also needs to be actual work being done to have that relevance for posterity. It is not enough to say, 'We are royals',' said Gohil. Not every social media royal narrative is necessarily true. 'Young royals, if one can call them that, have taken to social media to become visible and recognisable in the public eye. This is particularly so because they have easy access to props that help produce Instagram-worthy content: fairy-tale palaces, vintage cars, fabulous jewels, priceless objets decoratifs, etc,' said Tripurdaman Singh. But even their edited, perfect lives on Instagram are more authentic than the shows based on them. Also Read: Panchayat to Laapataa—villages on OTT are Gandhian simplicity or Ambedkar's den of ignorance 'Talk to us for spicy stories' There's another big regal project underway. But producer Pranjal Khandhdiya, the force behind biopics such as Soorma (2018) and Super 30 (2019), is not looking to reinterpret India's millennial royals. He's working on a web series on the life and legacy of 'Rajmata' Gayatri Devi, the third maharani consort of Jaipur, and a Lok Sabha MP. 'Some stories are best told without the classic tropes of a Bollywood film. The story is not her biography – it is through her that we see a royal point of view of history, which spans over 90 years. We know the British version, but it is time to actually get inside the royal lives,' said Khandhdiya. The web series is currently under pre-production, with extensive time dedicated to researching the finer details of the celebrated queen's life. 'Combined with the richness and grandeur of royalty, it's a visual spectacle to recreate the era which could give The Great Gatsby a run for its money,' added Khandhdiya. The producer, however, acknowledged the challenges of creating a show around a more recent historical period, which, for him, involved extensive meetings with historians, royal family members, and government officials. For now, royals are waiting to be part of the storyboarding and research for shows and films supposed to be based on them. 'If they come to talk to us, we could give them a lot of spicy stories and dramas. It would help to have some variation in that, too,' said Gohil. (Edited by Zoya Bhatti)
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nimrat Kaur opens up about turning singer for her web show
Nimrat Kaur Nimrat Kaur loves to sing. The actor has many videos on social media where she's seen singing her favourite songs. She took a step further recently by trying her hand at singing professionally. In her last release, Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs , the actress has sung a lori. Talking about her singing adventures on the show, Nimrat tells us, 'It is for the first time I have ever sung for a project. Firstly, I would like to say that I am grateful to Ekta Kapoor for having given me Kull… She gave me a web show like The Test Case too. She has given me both a platform and also a canvas.' Speaking about how she went on to sing for the show, Nimrat added, 'Sahir Raza who is the director of Kull… he introduced this lori (lullaby) to me which is a Rajasthani folk song . I listened to it and instantly said that I would like to sing it for the show. I was nervous because I never sang professionally before. I mean, I can sing but I am not professionally trained. I have done some fun things on Instagram once in a while. When I heard it and tried to sing it… he was convinced that we should do it for the show. People think that a professional singer has sung it and not many know that it is me (smiles). So, you see I am open to experimenting some fun things like these. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like La Esperanza: Con Amazon CFD, los ecuatorianos están generando dinero desde casa. Empezar ahora Registrarse Undo ' In our earlier chat, Nimrat opened up about playing a royal on the show, saying, 'We were living where we were shooting—at the Laxmi Niwas Palace. Walking those ancient halls in chiffon saris, draped in pearls and heavy jewelry, you have to carry yourself with measured grace. At the same time, you're expressing the suffocation and anxiety of someone who's spent her life holding everything in—quietly carrying the bruises and madness of an entire family. She's the peacekeeper, the one who must always be perfect. And yet, she gets pulled into palace politics and ends up a broken, shattered person.' Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Nimrat Kaur reveals this assumption about her led to fewer work opportunities in films: ‘Many believed that I…'
Bollywood actor Nimrat Kaur, known for her powerful performances in critically acclaimed and commercially successful films like The Lunchbox, Airlift and Sky Force, recently opened up about her concerns regarding limited work opportunities. In an interview with India Today, Nimrat candidly spoke about being worried about not working as often as she would like. (Also Read: Nimrat Kaur on OTT Vs film industry: 'As a female actor I have got more challenging parts on OTT') The actor revealed that while box office performance is often seen as the main concern in the industry, her personal struggle lies in the inconsistency of work. 'I see that there are so many capable and able actors around me who haven't been employed. But one needs to run the household, rents to pay, families have to be kept up, and bills need to be cleared. This is a profession at the end of the day. When things don't work, there is nervousness in the market, budgets are curtailed, and projects take longer to roll out. The need of the hour is for stuff to be made and released. When content gets created, it employs so many who have happily and crazily chosen to do this, and not walk on the straight path of a conventional job. So, something not doing well is a secondary worry for me.' Reflecting on how her career choices may have shaped perceptions within the industry, Nimrat said, 'I do take responsibility for that. I always thought they knew I was here, but many believed that I was in LA, that I had moved there. I love working abroad, but living in a foreign country is unthinkable for me. They also felt that I wouldn't want to do certain kinds of films, and I always wondered where these assumptions came from. Fortunately, I have been able to do stuff that suits me, and I feel grateful and lucky nonetheless.' Nimrat is currently enjoying the success of her performance in Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs, a drama thriller helmed by Sahir Raza and written by Chiranjeevi Bajpai. Produced by Ektaa Kapoor, the series also stars Amol Parashar and Ridhi Dogra in lead roles and is available to stream on JioCinema (not JioHotstar). She will next be seen in Section 84, alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Diana Penty. The release date of the film is yet to be announced.
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nimrat Kaur reveals she missed out on opportunities as many thought she had moved to Los Angeles: 'They also felt that I wouldn't want to do certain kinds of films'
Actress Nimrat Kaur recently expressed concern over a long-standing misunderstanding that she had permanently relocated to Los Angeles , which she believes may have contributed to a slowdown in the work that came her way. Nimrat on less opportunities In an interview with India Today, Nimrat addressed the misunderstanding and took responsibility for the false impression. She had assumed that people knew she was based in India, but many believed she had moved to LA. Even though she enjoys working abroad, living in a foreign country is not something she could ever imagine. 'They also felt that I wouldn't want to do certain kinds of films, and I always wondered where these assumptions came from. Fortunately, I have been able to do work that suits me, and I feel grateful and lucky nonetheless,' she explained. Unpredictability on work in the industry by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Jesus' Tomb Is Opened And Scientists Find Something Unbelievable Novelodge Undo Nimrat admitted that while critical success is satisfying, the unpredictability of work opportunities is a more pressing concern. She highlighted the challenges faced by many talented actors struggling to find work, stressing that the entertainment industry, like any other profession, involves financial responsibilities such as paying rent and supporting families. She pointed out that when the market slows down, budgets are reduced, and projects get delayed, impacting livelihoods. For her, the real concern lies in the lack of consistent work and content creation, which directly affects those who have passionately chosen this unconventional career path. According to her, box office failures are a secondary worry compared to the broader issue of underemployment in the industry. When Deepika Padukone revealed that she is 'just a 12th pass' – 'My parents had a big issue with that…' Genres she wants to explore Nimrat also shed light on the genres she's keen to explore in the future. Horror and romantic comedies top her wishlist, along with action-packed roles reminiscent of her performance in The Test Case . Work front She was recently seen in Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs alongside Amol Parashar, Ridhi Dogra, and Gaurav Arora. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
India Today
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Nimrat Kaur on fewer work opportunities in films: People thought I moved to US
Can assumptions of people cause a dent in your career? Actor Nimrat Kaur recently spoke exclusively to India Today about how the industry's perception of her choices and the assumption that she had moved to Los Angeles led to fewer opportunities coming her actor, who is currently basking in the success of her web series 'Kull,' also discussed the current state of the film industry. She shared that more than films not doing well at the box office, what truly worries her is not being able to work as often and as much as she would like see that there are so many capable and able actors around me who haven't been employed. But one needs to run the household, rents to pay, families have to be kept up, and bills need to be cleared. This is a profession at the end of the day. When things don't work, there is nervousness in the market, budgets are curtailed, and projects take longer to roll out. The need of the hour is for stuff to be made and released. When content gets created, it employs so many who have happily and crazily chosen to do this, and not walk on the straight path of a conventional job. So, something not doing well is a secondary worry for me," Nimrat Kaur said. Throughout her career, the actor has prioritised quality over quantity. When asked if her career choices had led the industry to view her differently, Nimrat said, "I do take responsibility for that. I always thought they knew I was here, but many believed that I was in LA (Los Angeles), that I had moved there. I love working abroad, but living in a foreign country is unthinkable for me. They also felt that I wouldn't want to do certain kinds of films, and I always wondered where these assumptions came from. Fortunately, I have been able to do stuff that suits me, and I feel grateful and lucky nonetheless."On a final note, the actor shared the genres that she wants to work in, starting with horror. "I would really like to do something like that, or even a horror comedy. I would also like to do a romantic comedy, or a lot of what I have already done. I want to attempt action, and something in line with The Test Case, which is absolutely close to my heart."Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs, also starring Amol Parashar, Ridhi Dogra and Gaurav Arora, is currently streaming on JioHotstar. You May Also Like
