Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar talk teaming up for The Royals and why trolling has become a public hobby

Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar are teaming up for the first time in Netflix’s upcoming romantic comedy series, The Royals. Their unexpected pairing initially raised eyebrows among fans when the cast was announced, sparking both amusement and curiosity. However, following the trailer release, many viewers have been impressed by the duo’s palpable on-screen chemistry. “It followed the same trajectory for us,” Ishaan jokes, referring to the public’s reaction mirroring their own growing comfort with each other.

Collaborating for the First Time

In a conversation ahead of the show’s premiere, Ishaan and Bhumi shared their experiences of working together. Bhumi revealed that they invested time in building rapport through joint script readings.

“We did a chemistry read because we’d never worked together before and barely knew each other. Even I thought, ‘this is an interesting pairing,’”

she admits.

Ishaan elaborated on how the dynamic of their characters helped them connect as actors. “It was a joy to work with someone as talented as Bhumi. This kind of love-hate relationship on screen gave us room to play freely. Neither of us had done something quite like this in our careers. Across eight episodes, we’ve had the space to explore the push-and-pull of two people clashing — full of ego battles, sharp retorts, and reluctant affection.”

Addressing Online Trolling

When asked about the reactions to their casting and the inevitable wave of trolling that often follows bold creative choices, both actors appeared unfazed. Bhumi responded candidly,

“Trolling has honestly become a pastime for people these days. It doesn’t really affect us.”

Ishaan echoed the sentiment, adding, “We had a choice — either focus on the negativity and skip this project, or go ahead because we genuinely loved the script. We chose the latter. Everything else became secondary.”

What to Expect from The Royals

The show boasts an eclectic ensemble cast that includes Sakshi Tanwar, Zeenat Aman, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Chunky Panday, Lisa Mishra, Kavya Trehan, Udit Arora, and Sumukhi Suresh. Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana and produced by Pritish Nandy Communications, The Royals promises a fresh, layered take on modern love and royal drama, premiering on Netflix on May 9.