Our Bureau
Mumbai
Bhumi Pednekar has left Netflix’s popular series The Royals ahead of season 2 production. Makers now plan to shift the story from a central romance to a bigger family drama.
The first season of The Royals, which premiered on Netflix on May 9, 2025, starred Bhumi Pednekar alongside Ishaan Khatter. It featured Zeenat Aman in her OTT debut as Rajmata Maji Saheba Bhagyashree Devi, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Vihaan Samat, Dino Morea, and Milind Soman. Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, the show follows a royal family in modern India trying to save their palace by turning it into a luxury resort while facing money troubles.
Viewers liked the family parts with Ishaan Khatter, Sakshi Tanwar, and Zeenat Aman more than the romance between Ishaan and Bhumi’s characters. An insider told Mid-Day, “When the show came out, what resonated with the audience was the family—Ishaan, Sakshi, Zeenat, and the world of The Royals, which feels different. We left season one at an unresolved romance. There was no decision to carry it forward. There was no fight with Bhumi.”
Bhumi’s exit happened with no disagreement. She faced online backlash after season 1, which hurt her. She said, “The noise became so loud that I couldn’t hear my own creative voice anymore. When you are told every day that you don’t look like yourself, it starts to seep in. I felt numb.”
Now, Bhumi eyes intense roles like a courtroom drama from Haq makers and Daldal 2. She will also star with Imran Khan in his Netflix comeback project. Season 2 will deepen family arcs in the royal world.
