After nearly a decade in the industry, Bhumi Pednekar is set to make her streaming debut with Netflix’s upcoming series ‘The Royals’, premiering next month. Bhumi shared why she finally said yes to OTT and how ‘The Royals’ stood out from previous offers.
Bhumi Pednekar revealed that while she was previously offered several web shows that later became big hits, she chose to pass on them. “I read some phenomenal scripts, but I didn’t connect with them the way I did with ‘The Royals’. It also depended on the kind of work I was seeking at the time,” she said.
What drew her to ‘The Royals’ was not just the script but the genre. “Rom-com is hands down my favourite. I don't think we make enough of them. I grew up reading *Mills & Boon*—that’s why I love Korean dramas, there’s so much romance,” Bhumi shared. Recalling how she first read the script while hospitalised with dengue, she added, “It’s my favourite genre, and I couldn’t stop reading. Plus, my last Netflix film ‘Bhakshak’ was a huge success, so it was an immediate yes for me.”
In ‘The Royals’, Bhumi Pednekar plays a corporate bigshot who gets drawn into the world of India’s former royalty, with Ishaan Khatter as her royal love interest. “This role is unlike anything I’ve done before,” she says. “I’ve never explored urban glamour the way I have in this show. While it’s visually striking and rooted in romance, it also delves into themes of sisterhood, friendship, and universal love—there’s something for everyone.”
