The Royals director makes THIS strong promise after Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar's fresh pairing receives backlash
Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar, who recently starred in The Royals, received some criticism for their chemistry, and now the show's director has responded to it.

Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar collaborated with each other for the first time on the OTT series The Royals. While the fresh pairing has gotten love from the fans, it has also received some criticism. The show’s director, Priyanka Ghose, has now opened up about their chemistry. She also made a strong promise to those people who didn’t like it. She said that she would do better next time.
In a recent interview with India Today, Priyanka Ghose responded to the criticism about the chemistry between Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar in The Royals. She said that everyone has the right to their own opinion. The director explained that she was open to the idea of Ishaan and Bhumi’s new pairing.
Praising their talent, Priyanka revealed that she was excited to see them take on glamorous roles, which were quite different from what they had done before. “While Ishaan hasn't gotten a chance to play a glamorous mainstream hero role, Bhumi has always been like the queen of heartland India,” she stated.
Priyanka Ghose shared that she witnessed the lead pair’s talent during the shooting of intimate scenes. She revealed that the actors attended several workshops to become more comfortable with each other. She felt that their chemistry was natural and never looked awkward.
However, Priyanka promised that she would aim to do better in the future. “If it didn't work for some people, I will try better next time,” she added. At the same time, the director pointed out that many people really liked the show and the pairing. “It's crazy how polarized the feedback has been,” she concluded.
The Royals is directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana. Apart from Ishaan Khatter as a prince and Bhumi Pednekar as an entrepreneur, Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Chunky Panday, Vihaan Samat, Kavya Trehan, Sumukhi Suresh, Lisa Mishra, and more play pivotal roles.
The series is a romantic comedy revolving around a dysfunctional royal family. It was released on Netflix on May 9, 2025.