Latest news with #PriyankaGhose
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
'The Royals' Is Inspired By Real Royal Family Of Jaipur, Other Provinces: Priyanka Ghose
Last Updated: Director Priyanka Ghose, in an exclusive interaction with News18 Showsha, said that despite the inspiration, certain creative liberties were taken in Netflix's The Royals. Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar's The Royals depicts a fictional royal family dealing with debt and drama. Priyanka Ghose, one of the show's directors, had to do a lot of research before bringing this family to Netflix. However, after the show's release, real royal families criticised the show for 'inaccurate' depictions of Indian royals. In an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha, before the criticism, director Priyanka Ghose opened up about meeting Indian royals to draw inspiration for the show. The Royals was extensively shot in the palaces of Jaipur. When asked if the Jaipur royal family was an 'inspiration" behind the show's blue-blooded characters, Priyanka told us, 'Not just Jaipur." She explained, 'I had to do multiple trips of location recce because you can't restrict yourself to one palace. I needed so many different spaces. I needed a full-blown swimming pool, somebody's room, somebody's Darbar Hall, some dining hall. It was impossible to find it all in one place. You have to go around hunting everywhere." Priyanka continued, 'So, I did not just meet the royal family of Jaipur. I ended up meeting the royal families of various places and provinces. I had the privilege of meeting them, interacting with their managerial staff and Heads of Royal Staff- getting to know their day-to-day life." The director said that she tried to do her 'due diligence" by finding the smallest details about the royals and incorporating them into her scenes. She mentioned, 'I noticed the smallest details, like when the staff greet them as 'Hukum', when they just bow their heads. There are times when they are not allowed to speak. There are times when they can address them. All these small nuances and day-to-day rituals are stuff that I researched and learned while I was there." 'It was not just the Jaipur royal family. We met and observed different royal families. But yes, there is a lot of creative and cinematic liberty taken when it comes to, for example, the way one dresses. Not every time will the Maharani be completely decked out in all her finery and diamonds to step into the main courtyard. But in our case, we created Paddy (Sakshi Tanwar) as a character. Automatically, she was somebody who was obsessed with her diamonds and jewellery. So, she would dress up all the time and come out looking like that no matter what," Priyanka concluded. Meanwhile, The Royals has been renewed for a second season on Netflix. The show hasn't started filming yet, but Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar will reprise their roles from the maiden season. The second season will go into production soon. First Published:
India Today
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Old money, new blood: Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi's The Royals renewed for Season 2
After impressing fans with 'The Royals', the makers have decided to renew the drama with a second season. With its fresh, glamorous take on modern-day Indian royalty, 'The Royals' sparked conversations and turned heads. Season 1 got people talking with a heady mix of romance, ambition, and betrayal resonating across audiences.'The Royals' Season 2 promises to turn up the heat with even more intrigue, drama, and makers announced the news with a new poster on Instagram. 'Old money, new blood and a new season is in the works. The Royals Season 2 is coming soon, only on Netflix (sic),' the caption read. Take a look at the poster here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix India (@netflix_in)Marketed as a modern-day Indian fairy-tale, Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana helmed 'The Royals' has all the hallmark ingredients of a feel-good romcom: a prince charming who is a literal prince, a self-made heroine, dysfunctional families, crazy rich Asians who aren't too rich though but enough crazy, grand palaces, glitzy song sequences, and — of course — some serious shirtless swagger. But while it checks all the boxes, it misses one crucial element: that crackling first season consisted of eight episodes, each nearly 40 minutes long. Other than Ishaan and Bhumi, the first part featured Sakshi Tanwar, Zeenat Aman, Vihaan Samat, Kavya Trehan and Lisa Mishra among others in key roles.'The Royals' is currently streaming on Watch
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'The Royals' director Priyanka Ghose opens up about Zeenat Aman's smoking scene: 'It tells you how bold she is...'
Zeenat Aman's onscreen act sparked change. Women now lead Bollywood behind the scenes. Director Priyanka Ghose highlights Bengal's influence on her work. Female characters are now defined by their desires. More women are greenlighting complex stories. This shift allows for authentic portrayals. Small choices reveal character depth. Ghose's upbringing shaped her perspective. She aims for confident, culturally authentic female characters. When Zeenat Aman lit a joint in The Royals, it wasn't just a rebellious onscreen moment—it was a statement. With women increasingly taking charge behind the camera as directors, producers, and writers, Bollywood is finally giving its female characters the freedom to be complex, bold, and unapologetically real. A Director's Lens Shaped by Bengal In a candid conversation with News18 Showsha, The Royals director Priyanka Ghose unpacks how her personal experiences and upbringing in Bengal helped shape a fresh narrative—one where women aren't defined by societal expectations, but by their own desires, agency, and confidence. Women Greenlighting Women's Stories Priyanka reflected on how the growing number of women in decision-making roles—whether as producers or studio heads—has opened the door to more layered and ambitious portrayals of female characters. She noted that with women greenlighting such stories, there's a refreshing shift in how women are represented—free from judgment and traditional constraints, and often seen exploring love and life beyond conventional roles like widowhood. The Power of Small Choices on Screen Ghose further pointed out that for years, women were often misrepresented in films and series, largely due to male writers missing the subtle nuances of female characters. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo She emphasized that something as simple as a woman smoking on screen doesn't alter a scene's plot, but it does reveal character depth—signaling confidence, societal progress, and the fact that India is no longer stuck in outdated narratives. Growing up in Calcutta, the director was surrounded by self-assured women who lived life on their own terms—smoking wasn't taboo, it was just another personal choice. It wasn't until she moved to Mumbai that she noticed the social stigma around it. This stark contrast shaped her perspective and deeply influenced the way she writes and directs her female characters—rooted in agency, confidence, and cultural authenticity. Priyanka fondly remembers watching her aunts and other women in her family enjoying nights out at clubs without ever feeling the need to apologise for having fun—especially in the company of men. For her, such moments didn't define a woman's character but reflected confidence and freedom. However, she's quick to clarify that this view isn't expressed lightly or without thought. Redefining Matriarchy On-Screen Priyanka highlights the multifaceted nature of the women in her family—strong professionals who also shoulder household responsibilities with grace. To her, this duality doesn't dilute their roles as matriarchs; instead, it enriches them. She believes that choices like drinking, smoking, or exploring relationships shouldn't be viewed negatively, as they don't diminish a woman's integrity. Instead, such portrayals reflect a more honest, layered representation of female characters on screen. 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 .
News18
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Zeenat Aman Smoking Weed And Women At Leisure: Priyanka Ghose On Female Agency In Films
Last Updated: The Royals' director Priyanka Ghose said women executives don't judge female characters, allowing diverse narratives to be shown on screens. Shabana Azmi recently peddled drugs on our screens in Shibani Dandekar's Dabba Cartel. First, for necessity and then, for thrill. Soon after, Zeenat Aman and Sakshi Tanwar smoked weed in Priyanka Ghose's The Royals. As more women occupy the revered writing rooms and the directors' seats in Bollywood, female characters are being lent a generous amount of agency for exploration. In an exclusive conversation with News18 Showsha, Priyanka Ghose opened up about Zeenat Aman's smoking scene in The Royals and the real Bengali women who became her inspiration. Reflecting on how projects being backed by women are helping portray female characters with diverse ambitions, Priyanka tells us, 'It's a huge privilege that women who are producers and studio heads are green-lighting stories that allow you to have these kinds of things where women go beyond their dead husbands and explore love affairs once again. And because there are women in power who are not judging women, there has been a sea change in the way women are being represented." Priyanka explains, 'For the longest time, women were being misrepresented across films and series. The males writing female parts did not get these small nuances, because at the end of the day, a woman smoking in a scene is not changing anything. It doesn't change the dynamics of the scene, but it gives you an insight into the character. It tells you how bold she is, that society is accepting of her doing this, and how we have progressed, so we are not going backwards anymore. India is looking ahead. We can accept a lot of things." Having grown up in Calcutta, Bengal, Priyanka didn't see women smoking as taboo. She grew up around confident women who had the agency to be at leisure as they pleased. It was only when she moved to Mumbai that she realised that women smoking was largely frowned upon. This jarring insight shaped how Priyanka chose to portray her female characters on screen. 'Bengal was always ahead of its time, and women were always treated with a certain amount of respect," she proudly says. Priyanka recalls, 'I had grown up watching my aunt and everybody having a good time going to clubs and never being apologetic, because it doesn't define your character, just because you are equally having fun with men around." However, she cautions, 'I'm not frivolously saying this." 'All the women in my family are hardcore career women, but they are also the people who run our house, our families, taking care of every single person. It doesn't take away from their matriarchal roles either. There's a great balance with which you can represent women," Priyanka opines. 'Wanting to drink or smoke or have multiple relationships or exploring one's sexuality is not seen in a bad light [in the show] because it should not be seen in a bad light. It doesn't define the integrity of the character," the director concludes. First Published:
Pink Villa
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Zeenat Aman's limited screen time as Maji Sa in The Royals was for a reason? interesting details inside
Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar -led The Royals was released on Netflix on May 9, 2025. The show has been making headlines ever since its release. It also starred Zeenat Aman in the role of Maji Sa, and his cool role has impressed the netizens. However, she was seen in very limited time on-screen, but audiences wanted to see her character more on the screen. Now, director Priyanka Ghose opened up on the same and shared that her role was meant to be a cameo appearance. After fans were upset by Zeenat Aman 's brief appearance in The Royals, director Priyanka Ghose clarified in an interview with India Today that the veteran actress was always meant to have a limited role. She explained, 'Whenever we have legendary superstars making cameo appearances, we crave more, and the same happened with Zeenat ma'am.' It wasn't only Zeenat Aman's role but Sakshi Tanwar's role too caught the attention of the people. Sakshi played the role of Ishaan Khatter's mother in the series. In the same interview, Priyanka Ghose also opened up on the second season of The Royals and shared that they used to constantly banter on sets and joke about the plot of the show but she admitted that nothing has been confirmed yet. The director also revealed that they will only come in after the script has been written. Till now, she has no idea if something about the sequel is being planned. Priyanka asked the audience to wait till the producers make any formal announcement. Meanwhile, The Royals is directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana and created by Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy. It stars Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar, Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Chunky Panday, Vihaan Samat, Kavya Trehan, Sumukhi Suresh, Lisa Mishra, and more in important roles. The official synopsis of the series reads, 'When charming Prince Aviraaj meets Sophia, a self-made girl boss, the worlds of royalty and startups collide in a whirlwind of romance and ambition.'
