Latest news with #RoyalFables
NDTV
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
'The Royals' On Netflix Sparks Royal Rumble Over "Stereotypes, Narratives"
New Delhi: Certain storylines on 'The Royals' on Netflix have sparked a furore among some of India's erstwhile royal families, with one 'queen' commenting that the stereotype of rajas "soaked in whiskey and profligacy" and Ranis "in chiffons and pearls" continues to define them, but their contributions don't get too much attention. Heritage platform Royal Fables, which covers such families, also put out a post "on behalf of 565 princely states" objecting to the way royals are portrayed in the show. The Royal Fables' post itself, however, also saw some backlash, with some on social media accusing it of being tone deaf and embarrassing. 'The Royals', starring Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar, portrays a modern-day royal family struggling to maintain its crumbling palace, which is approached by the CEO of a hospitality startup, who proposes turning it into a luxury bed-and-breakfast. Sub-plots include the royal family's dysfunction and the sale of a valuable painting. The Maharani of Baroda, Radhikaraje Gaekwad, put out a post on Instagram in which she highlighted that the erstwhile royals in India are still respected and play a key role in preserving the country's heritage. "One would imagine the royals of India, a community abundantly chronicled, photographed, biographed, and today well positioned in a range of arenas from politics, hospitality, to magazine covers, would have a better chance of surviving an on screen portrayal such as the one in The Royals. Alas, that was not to be and such is our fate, since 1947..." she lamented. "What began as a post-independence, politically motivated propaganda of stereotypical Rajas soaked in whiskey and profligacy and Ranis in chiffons and pearls, continues to define us," she added. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Royal Fables (@royal_fables) Ms Gaekwad pointed out that India is one of the only countries where royals reigned for centuries without "any known instances of revolt or assassination". "India has also seen some of their finest statesmen, diplomats, wildlife conservationists, bureaucrats, army officers, educationists, sportsmen, hoteliers and entrepreneurs emerge from royalty and today our palaces, forts and museums are perhaps the last few sentinels of India's undiluted, apolitical patronage and cultural history, all maintained in our personal capacity. Yet... our own country continues to view us - all 565 families and a few thousand nobility, with an odd mixture of awe, ignorance and distaste," she wrote. Ms Gaekwad also said some of these families engage in charitable work, run some of India's best-known music festivals and museums, and sustain traditions and festivals like the Dussehra of Mysore and the Holi of Jaipur and Udaipur. 'False Narratives' In an open letter to Netflix, Royal Fables said some "false narratives" were created by the show and that the erstwhile royals contribute to Indian culture while keeping their legacy alive, without much help. "First off, royal families are not POOR. They are not selling their palaces or making money from bat poop! They are land owners and inheritors of a rich legacy that they are monetising," it said in the letter, adding, "Agreed, conserving palaces is a tough task. Our back breaks if we have to white wash our flats! They have to restore a 400-year-old, 100 rooms monument without losing the historic essence of the property. And no caring corporate or government helps them in the process (sic)." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Royal Fables (@royal_fables) The post, however, also attracted criticism from social media users, with one sneering, "Privileged offending the privileged is my most favourite genre." "This is amongst the most hilariously embarrassing things I've ever read in my life. Please for your own sakes, delete it and pretend it never happened," another wrote.
India.com
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Amid The Royals controversy, Udit Arora hits back at trolls for calling show 'misinterpreted': ‘People are missing…'
Amid The Royals controversy, Udit Arora hits back at trolls for calling show 'misinterpreted': 'People are missing…' | Exclusive Udit Arora has charmed us with his portrayal of Kunal Mehta in the recently released Netflix show The Royals. He portrayed Bhumi Pednekar's ex-boyfriend-turned-co-founder for their organisation, Work Potato. While, the 8-episode series, has been praised by many but also faced some flax, hence, creating a lot of buzz ever since it began streaming. Some felt that Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar's pairing was a misfit, while few felt that the storyline could have been better. Apart from this, another criticism that the series had faced was by the Heritage platform Royal Fables. The Royals is based on the fictional city of Morpur, where a royal family struggles financially after the King passes away. Royal Fables called out the makers for presenting 'false narratives' about Indian royal families. In an impassioned Instagram post, 'on behalf of the 565 princely states of India,' they accused the show for everything from misinterpretation to desecration of legacy. Udit Arora on The Royals controversy In an exclusive interview with , Udit broke silence on the backlash received by Royal Fables for presenting the show in a false manner. Stating that The Royals is fully a fictional form of art and shouldn't be compared to real-life events, he said, 'See at the end of the day, its just a fictional story and we have to pick up something, right. You can't be comparing it to real-life like that, you know what I mean. Even if something based on a true story is dramatised, it is for entertainment purposes. It's written in every show and film you see.' Udit believes that now days, the shows are being sensationalised in a way to appeal more entertaining, even though it project real-life stories. In case of The Royals, he felt that it was a good parody on the lives of royal families. The actor said, 'Even the documentaries that are coming out they are dramatised. So, I don't know what these people are trying to look into this. Overall, I just want to say that The Royals was a satire on their lives, I see it like that. He added, 'It was a good satire, I think these people are missing the point there, so they should look closely.' Udit Arora on being secure as an actor When asked Udit whether he had any insecure moments, watching Ishaan and Bhumi as limelighters of the show, he said, 'No, we worked on this show like a family. I don't see it like that if something is more or something is less. Especially on this show, everyone including Ishaan and Bhumi, they have been very cooperative. And I feel, just doing justice to your character is what everyone tries to do on set. So that kind of insecurity comes with egos, and this set was surely not like that.' Udit Arora as a 'green flag' on the show About his character in The Royals, he calls him a complete 'green forest'. He believes that his role of Kunal Mehta, Bhumi's ex-boyfriend, posses qualities of being 'likeable, charming and attractive.' In real life, Udit suggests that 'You can be in touch with your ex, but you can't be friends and definitely not business partners as shown in The Royals. It's completely a different deal.' Meanwhile, The Royals also feature 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 rom-com series is directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana and created by Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy.
Mint
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
The Royals: Representative of princely states slams Netflix web series; netizens hit back, ‘Touch some grass, Maharani'
Netflix's The Royals, starring Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar in key roles, has not pleased many. Team Royal Fables has written to the OTT giant, expressing its disagreement on the 'many false narratives' in the web series. Royal Fables, in its open letter to Netflix, claims to have spoken on behalf of India's 565 princely states. For the last 15 years, it has worked closely with Indian royal families. It believes the show paints a false and careless picture of these families. Unlike what the Netflix web series shows, the royals are not poor. They are landowners and entrepreneurs managing palaces, hotels, art and heritage businesses, according to Royal Fables. Palace upkeep takes effort and money. The government or corporates offer little help, per Royal Fables. Yet, these families continue preserving centuries-old architecture and art. 'Your serial glorified the royals as not needing to do anything. That is not true. The present-day royals are educated and employed citizens who fight elections, become ministers, are temple patrons, hoteliers, artists, run craft NGOs…' Royal Fables added. According to the promoter of Indian royal families, Indian royals no longer live in feudal times. They work hard to preserve what they have inherited. 'Our humble request is that next time when you profile THE ROYALS who are true custodians of Indian history just be sensitive to their heritage and do some research and homework.' it concluded. Royal Fables' open letter to Netflix, however, did not go well with social media users. 'Touch some grass, Maharani,' quipped one user. 'Oh no, the rich and privileged weren't depicted accurately on screen,' came another sarcastic reply. Another user wrote, 'Who cares about what a certain class in the top hierarchy thinks and feels?? This post is too elitist of you.' 'We moved on, you are not kings and queens anymore. Sit down,' declared another. Anyway, social media is not impressed with The Royals. Many users have criticised Bhumi's acting in the Netflix web series. 'Can't believe she downgraded her from Dum Laga Ke Haisha to this!! She was pretty good in her debut,' wrote a Reddit user. 'Honestly, it goes without saying that Bhoomi's acting and accent in The Royals were extremely cringeworthy,' came from another. One user gave a health advice to the Bollywood actress, 'She needs to gain a little weight, she looked malnourished. Secondly, whatever she has done to her face, she needs to rectify.' 'I can't bear the storyline,' wrote another.
News18
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Bhumi Pednekar, Ishan Khatter's The Royals Gets A Reality Check For Presenting 'Misleading' Facts
Last Updated: In a letter addressed to Netflix India, Royal Fables expressed concerns about the portrayal of royal families in the new rom-com. Netflix's The Royals, starring Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar, may have captivated binge-watchers with its striking visuals, but not everyone is impressed. Released on May 9, the series tells the story of a sharp, modern-day CEO whose world collides with a once-glorious royal family from the fictional city of Morpur. While critics and viewers had mixed reviews, with many questioning the depth of the plot, another unexpected voice has now entered the discourse regarding the show. Royal Fables, founded by Anshu Khanna, is a platform dedicated to showcasing the real royals of India. They recently shared a post on Instagram, criticising The Royals. In a letter addressed to Netflix India, Royal Fables expressed concerns about the portrayal of royal families in the new rom-com. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Royal Fables (@royal_fables) They began the letter by saying, 'We just finished watching THE ROYALS and immediately felt the strong urge to reach out to you on behalf of the 565 Princely states of India who were portrayed fairly sweepingly in your show." Royal Fables shared that having worked with the royal families of India for 15 years, they have achieved 'not just an insider's perspective to their world but also a deep respect for Princely India's contribution to India's culture of refinement". Royal Fables mentioned how the present-day royals continue to take forward their legacy established by the erstwhile rulers, from classical music to forts, palaces and antiques. In their letter, Royal Fables pointed out the many 'false narratives" that the show put forward, which they think was a 'disservice to this world". Firstly, they mentioned that royal families aren't 'poor," and they do not sell their palaces or make money from 'bat poop". 'They are land owners and inheritors of a rich legacy that they are monetising," they added. Furthermore, Royal Fables agreed that conserving hundreds of years-old palaces is a tough task, that too, without any external help. However, the current generation of royals has taken this task upon themselves and have turned into entrepreneurs 'who nurture what they have inherited and raise money through their legit businesses". Royal Fables also pointed out that they no longer sell their paintings or cars since the abolition of the Privy Purse in 1971. Moreover, they highlighted, 'No Ravi Varma that costs hundreds of crores is ever sold," and talked about the discrepancies in the storyline when the CEO gifts a Ravi Varma painting to the Rajmata. Contrary to what was shown on The Royals, the company argued that present-day royals are 'educated and employed citizens who fight elections, become ministers, are temple patrons, hoteliers, empower women," and whatnot. Royal Fables called out the makers for glorifying the royals as not 'needing to do anything". Speaking about the lavish costumes of the women, they said, 'The royal women are also not sitting in their palaces, overdressed in bridal jewels and heavily embellished sarees. In real life, our ladies wear delicate diamonds designed by their ancestors in the Art Deco era." They criticised the show for showing the women sitting idle and also mentioned that royal art, homes, decor and dressing are 'SUBTLE". Towards the end of the letter, Royal Fables requested everyone to be sensitive to this subject and do their research and homework before using their legacy as stories. First Published:
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
The Royals on Netflix showcases Indian nobles as nincompoops
Set in the fictional town of Morpur, the recently-released The Royals has been received rather poorly by reviewers. 'There are queer royals, royals having affairs, and royals who would rather be a chef. Though just portraying hollow stereotypes, this supporting cast emerges to be the minor redeeming factor in a script that otherwise overly relies on less than impressive performances...', stated a recent review in The Hindu, that also highlighted the show's few interesting storylines. Making headlines for its exotic locales, over-the-top apparel, and a rather clumsy storyline, the show has also irked a few royals across the country. In a detailed letter to Netflix that was posted on Instagram, Anshu Khanna, founder of The Royal Fables (a heritage platform to showcase the craft and heritage of Princely India) outlines the many ways the show has put Indian royals in poor light: portrayal of women and widows, extravagant attires, to name a few. 'Anything on royalty is of interest to us, and I was excited to watch the show. But after viewing the entire series, I found nothing unique in the story. There's no depth,' says Anshu. She is of the opinion that no research was done when putting the show together. 'It portrays stereotypes we need to break. For instance, it showcases decadent people, who don't need to work for a living, playing polo. And then, not knowing what to do with their palaces that are falling apart.' The portrayal of women in The Royals is also something that irked Anshu. 'The women characters are seen as mindless creatures, sitting around, wearing a lot of jewellery. In reality, royals wear delicate diamonds and floral chiffons. The show has the women wearing heavy jewellery sets and organza, linen apparel.' Indian royalty, she says, is doing so much more today. 'They are artists, politicians, running schools, and more.' Several people have shared similar concerns on the post that has over 1,000 comments since it was posted yesterday. Given the show is a work of fiction, do these arguments carry weight? 'Even if a show is fictionalised, the portrayal needs to be accurate. If you are making a show on Gandhi, for example, you can't show him in a discotheque. You need to get the context right,' she says, 'The portrayal of Indian royals on the show is trivial and unreal. There are many different themes to set a romance in.' Indian royalty, says Anshu, have seen a paradigm shift in their lifestyle over the last 20 years. 'Villages have become cities, and many royals have collaborated with hotels and turned palaces into heritage homestays. Most royals stay in the palaces while entertaining guests. So the show doesn't bring anything new to the table.' Anshu concludes, 'I felt bad to see royals showcased as nincompoops, and wanted to speak up. I don't have any intentions to sue anyone.'
