Latest news with #Udit
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Udit Arora reacts to criticism against The Royals, calls Bhumi Pednekar getting trolled ‘unfortunate'
Netflix's 2025 romantic comedy-drama series The Royals, starring Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar, has faced significant backlash from both Indian royal families and viewers. Beyond the royal critique, the series received mixed to negative reactions from audiences. While some praised the show's aesthetics and Ishaan's performance, many criticised the storyline for being weak and the characters for lacking depth. Bhumi Pednekar's portrayal, in particular, was labelled as "unbearable" by some viewers. (Also Read: The Royals season 2 announced, creator Rangita Pritish Nandy says they listened to both 'good and ugly' feedback) Now, in an exclusive conversation with Hindustan Times, Udit Arora, who essayed the role of Kunal, Bhumi's business partner in the series, reacted to the controversy surrounding the series and also defended Bhumi, who has faced significant trolling on social media for her performance. Recently, Baroda's Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad slammed the portrayal of royal families in the show, and before this, heritage platform Royal Fables called out Netflix for misinterpreting modern-day royals in the series. Reacting to the backlash and criticism, Udit said, "We never said it's based on a true story, so I don't know who is having a problem with what. Honestly, I have not followed any news on that, so I have no idea what they are comparing it to and what aspect they are taking from the show and saying it's wrong. Because it's a fictional show at the end of the day and it's there for entertainment purpose. It's a satire on the lives of the royal families. So I think it's pretty clear so I don't know what's the problem with that actually." A post shared by Udit Arora (@justudit) Udit spoke about the harsh criticism Bhumi had to go through for her performance and said, "Every artiste on the set goes out with the attention of doing something good, and we give our best. People may like or dislike whatever they want, there's no hold on that. As much as we are exposing ourselves to the praise, we are also exposing ourselves to the criticism. It has also gone to another level, being behind the screen and typing what you like. So I have my own reservations on that. She has given her heart and soul to the project and is giving her 100%, being there with everyone. I think she is a brilliant actor. So people can like or dislike whatever they want, it's upto them." When asked if he found the harsh comments against Bhumi unfair, keeping in mind that actors have become easy targets for trolls on social media, Udit said, "In the age of social media, people can do whatever they want. I don't know who these people are, and they need to grow up and have a life, honestly. It's just very unfortunate. But at the end of the day, I think it should not be taken too seriously because they are who they are, you can't give too much importance to their opinions. They are just noise. So I think every actor needs to focus on what they are doing, and even if there's a bump on the road, it's absolutely fine, you can move ahead. As a community, we need to support each other. As humans, we need to support and be kind to each other. So, hatred moves faster than love. So I think we need better support and love for everyone." Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana and written by Neha Veena Sharma, the series follows the story of a financially struggling royal family in modern-day India, whose fortunes take an unexpected turn when the heir teams up with a hospitality entrepreneur to revive their ancestral palace as a luxury resort. The romantic comedy-drama, also starring Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea, and Milind Soman, has now been renewed for a second season despite the criticism.
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.
Express Tribune
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Decent' Udit kissed by controversy
KARACHI: On Sunday, renowned Bollywood playback singer Udit Narayan found himself embroiled in a disturbing controversy following an incident during a live concert in Mumbai. A video surfaced online showing him interacting with a female fan who, while taking a selfie, leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. The singer reciprocated the gesture by turning towards her and kissing her on the lips. The encounter happened during Udit's performance of the already sexually charged song Tip Tip Barsa Pani from 1994 film Mohra, at the specific verse before the chorus 'Mere bas mein nahi mera mann / Mein kya karoon' (I can't control my heart's desires / What can I do?). After the encounter went viral, he was recorded kissing other women attending the concert on the cheek, seemingly upon their request. The incident garnered a spectrum of reactions online. There is a general consensus that both Udit and his fan had acted inappropriately. Given his status as an established, senior artist in the Bollywood industry, and the star-and-fan relationship of the two, netizens were stunned by this incident. Internet reacts Some users defended the 69 year-old singer, suggesting that the fan initiated the kiss and that his reciprocation was a natural response. One user commented, "First, the girl kisses Udit Narayan without his consent. Yet, leftists and feminists cry foul only when he kisses backbecause he's a man. The girl's actions? Conveniently ignored. Why?" Conversely, many criticised Udit for his actions, emphasising the importance of maintaining professional boundaries, especially given his stature in the industry. Critics argued that regardless of the fan's initiation, it was incumbent upon the celebrity to uphold a standard of conduct that reflects his position and influence. One netizen commented, "With age, he has lost his character. Fans are always crazy, but he should respect each fan." Some Indian media platforms went so far as to speculate if Udit was intoxicated during the course of this concert to have acted in such a disgraceful manner. As is natural for the internet, there was yet another faction of reactors who insisted that since both parties seemed satisfied with the encounter, the incident was not worth the debate. One such commenter addressed the rest of the fast-polarising comments section and remarked, "[The ] one who kissed is happy, [the] one who got kissed is happy. Why are some people upset about it?" What Udit has to say In response to the backlash, Udit addressed the controversy, stating that his actions were an expression of affection towards his fans and that there was no inappropriate intent behind them. He emphasised that he is a "decent" person and felt no regret or sorrow over the incident, viewing it as a natural interaction with an enthusiastic admirer. "Do you hear any regret or sorrow in my voice? I have been in the industry for decades and have always shared a close bond with my fans. This was an act of pure affection," the artist maintained. Amid the ongoing debate, an old video from a 2021 episode of The Kapil Sharma Show (now called The Great Indian Kapil Show) resurfaced, further fuelling controversy. In this episode, Udit, along with fellow singers Kumar Sanu and Anuradha Paudwal, made remarks that were perceived as misogynistic. Udit's comments about Archana Puran Singh's laughter and weight, and similar comments about Alka Yagnik were deemed inappropriate by many viewers, leading to renewed criticism. The internet was also quick to uncover older footage of Udit kissing Alka and Shreya Ghoshal at various events. In one clip, he kissed Alka on the cheek while she was performing on the Indian Idol stage, leaving her visibly startled. Social media users pointed out a similar moment in another clip, where Alka appeared to react uncomfortably to his gesture. Years later, at an award ceremony, Shreya received the Best Female Singer award from Udit and actor Malaika Arora. As she stepped onto the stage, Udit greeted her with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Though she momentarily made a face, she quickly smiled before accepting the award. In the midst of the controversy, fellow playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has also come to his colleague's defence. Abhijeet dismissed the backlash as overblown and stressed the affectionate nature of fan-celebrity interactions. He stated, "Such incidents are being blown out of proportion. Udit ji has always been a gentleman and shares a warm relationship with his fans. This was nothing more than a gesture of affection." The plot thickens Public displays of affection are generally frowned upon in India and other parts of the region, with even Bollywood stars maintaining restraint in their interactions with partners in public. That the singer chose to break this unspoken cultural rule with a fan, rather than a spouse, made the act even more divisive. While some excused it as an impulsive reaction to fan enthusiasm, others pointed out that a seasoned artist like Udit, with decades in the industry, should have known better. Dubbed as 'the kiss controversy', this incident also revived conversations about misogyny within Bollywood and the entertainment industry at large. Some social media users blamed the female fan herself, arguing that she should have known better than to initiate a kiss with a male celebrity, suggesting that she "invited" his response. This rhetoric mirrors broader societal attitudes where women are often held responsible for men's behaviour. Adding to this was singer Bhattacharya's defence of Udit, which many saw as reflective of the ingrained entitlement among male celebrities. Bhattacharya himself has faced accusations of sexual misconduct in the past, famously in 2018 when a former flight attendant named Yamini Khanna accused him of making unwanted sexual advances at her in a Kolkata nightclub in 1998. His questionable past has made his statements dismissing the backlash even more infuriating for critics. The entire fiasco reinforced the long-standing issue of male artists in the industry enjoying impunity, often indulging in sexist behavior without real consequences. Many pointed out that if a female celebrity had done the same, the outrage would have been far more severe, further highlighting the double standards within Bollywood and South Asian society as a whole.
