Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar in ‘The Royals’

Netflix India on Tuesday (April 22) launched the trailer for The Royals, a self-described ‘royalty rom-com’ set to stream on the platform from May 9. Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, the series is headlined by Ishaan Khatter, Bhumi Pednekar and Bollywood veteran Zeenat Aman. The ballroom-filing ensemble includes Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Chunky Panday, Vihaan Samat, Kavya Trehan, Sumukhi Suresh, Udit Arora, Lisa Mishra and Luke Kenny. 

Written by Neha Veena Sharma, The Royals chronicles the fortuitous romance between an entitled royal scion, Aviraaj (Ishaan) and a self-made entrepreneur, Sophia (Bhumi). With his father, the maharaj of Morpur, passing on, Aviraaj has to graduate from polo and take on the royal reins. Enter Sophia: who wants to their the pristine Moti Mahal into a Royal B&B.

Against this foreground of blossoming love, the show tracks the comic, cacophonic dysfunctions of an Indian royal family, its profligate members stuck between tradition and change.

Speaking about the show, Bhumi Pednekar said: ““This show gave me a chance to play with my wardrobe, which I love so deeply. I’ve never chased playing an urban girl or playing a character that is away from what I usually do. I always go for scripts”. She called the series “sensitive” and “progressive” in core, adding that all types of audiences will feel represented watching it.

“It’s a fresh take on the romance between royal and a commoner. Most people thought this was a period piece when there were early talks about ‘The Royals’, but there is going to be a lot more,” Ishaan Khatter said.

Me and My Golden Image, from Kartab, a solo show by artist Gurmeet Marwah
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Every individual is engaged in activities to move forward in life; an ongoing stunt to achieve something. “That is Kartab for you,” says artist Gurmeet Marwah, who is presenting his first solo exhibition in the city. As Gurmeet puts it, the show delves into the many levels or angles of kartab, a Hindi word that means act, deed, or undertaking, as it plays out in everyday life.

Gurmeet’s artistic exploration is driven by this idea or concept of human nature, where there is more to every act than what is visible on the surface.

“Everyone is involved in kartab, hoping to gain something. Then we strive to balance and maintain it. We are constantly in that loop,” he says.

Gurmeet says his artworks are an exploration of this concept, and is in keeping with his belief that an idea should not be confined to a single dimension, whilst also upholding minimalism.

Hazaaron Khawaishein Aisi, from Kartab, a solo show by artist Gurmeet Marwah.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“When I think of an idea, I want to explore its possibilities. I don’t understand the point of limiting it. Painting is the simplest form of expression, but I enjoy going beyond it,” says Gurmeet, explaining how he always visualises a concept from different angles and perspectives.

Animals feature regularly in Gurmeet’s works — goats, donkeys, monkeys, owls and frogs — both in paintings and woodcuts. “Local slang in conversations inspired me to use animals as my subjects. For instance, words such as gadha (donkey) and bakhra (goat) are often part of casual conversations, so I began using them in my work. It is not symbolic; it is just the language I speak and have grown up with,” says the Delhi-based artist.

Talking about how some of his recent works portray humanoid figures, Gurmeet says it is symbolic of a subject he wants to present, and the depiction happened incidentally. “This is the first time I have used a human figure in my art. It was not conscious, but some concepts needed such a protagonist, so it was brought in.”

What distinguishes Gurmeet’s work is the simplicity, and his knack of presenting ideas important to him without complexities. In this exhibition, Gurmeet has presented artworks built on everyday experiences, his middle-class upbringing, hierarchies, and societal structures.

Tiger In The City, from Kartab, a solo show by artist Gurmeet Marwah.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

“I come from a middle-class family, and live a regular life in a metro. Many things influence our lives, and they can be personal, societal, or political. Everyone has a perspective or opinion on different topics and they choose to express them in their own way.I do it in the language I know, which is visual art. If I were a poet, I would have written poems.”