Love, Family, and Royalty: Priyanka Ghose on The Royals on Netflix

We sat down with the director of Netflix's upcoming show, ‘The Royals’, Priyanka Ghose to discuss her journey, challenges, and experiences working on the show. From romance to royalty, get an exclusive peek into the making of this most awaited series.

How do you manage the complexity of directing a show like ‘The Royals’, with its non-linear shooting schedule and multiple storylines?

For me, directing a show like ‘The Royals’ is like running a marathon. You have to pace yourself, manage your energy, and keep track of multiple elements. With a long schedule spanning 70-80 days, it’s challenging to maintain synchronicity and emotional continuity for each character. I have to ensure that every actor knows where their character is coming from and where they are going. It’s a complex task, but the more I do it, the more excited I get. I enjoy the challenge of bringing everything together seamlessly.

So what about ‘The Royals’ appealed to you?

I was drawn to The Royals because it offered a beautiful canvas to explore multiple love stories set in the rich world of modern-day India, where royalty meets entrepreneurship. After working on an espionage action thriller, I saw this as an opportunity to switch gears and flex my creative muscles in a completely different direction. The contrast was exactly what I needed – it allowed me to zone off from one genre and dive into something new and exciting.

How did you prepare for directing a rom-com like ‘The Royals’?

Switching from an action thriller to a rom-com was a deliberate choice. To prepare for ‘The Royals’, I did a lot of reading and studying to understand how to represent Indian royalty authentically. However, rom-com as a genre came naturally to me. I have grown up loving love stories, watching films like ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ and ‘Notting Hill’. I have even worked on a love story before, ‘Broken But Beautiful Season 3’, which was a very different kind of love story. I think the more you challenge yourself as a filmmaker, the more you discover about yourself and realise there’s so much more within you to offer.

What was your experience like working with a talented crew?

Working with an ensemble cast of talented actors like Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Bhumi Pednekar, and Ishaan Khatter was a treat for me as a director. Every character was written to have a significant impact on the story and other characters, and I knew I would be able to attract top-notch actors to play these roles. It was a dream come true to bring together such a talented cast and pull off an ensemble performance.

I walked away from ‘The Royals’—building a new family, not just making friends. I am close to all the actors now, especially Ishaan, who’s almost inseparable from me, and Bhumi, who’s become a dear friend. I am in awe of Zeenat ma’am, a true superstar from the golden era of cinema, and Sakshi ma’am, whom I truly admire and respect. What I appreciated about this cast is their willingness to collaborate and put aside their superstar status to create something together, which only comes from experience.

What core message or emotion do you hope audiences will connect with in ‘The Royals’?

I think audiences will resonate with the universal emotions and familial ties in ‘The Royals’. You will see various relationships—sibling, mother-son, grandparents-granddaughter, working partners—that make it relatable. The show explores today’s royalty in India, but at its core, it’s about loving your family and how that love helps overcome challenges. I believe that’s the universal emotion everyone will take away—that love does triumph over all.

Could you share some BTS moments from filming ‘The Royals’?

Filming ‘The Royals’ was a wild ride, with crazy fun sets, unprecedented mishaps, and challenges like extreme weather and working with animals. I had to ensure animal safety, so I would climb on a ladder to give instructions and do touch-ups on Ishaan while he was on an elephant. There were scenes where Ishaan and Bhumi had to ride a horse together without a saddle, so they had to hold their emotions and be mindful of the horse’s comfort. We spent three months together in Rajasthan, celebrating Holi and playing with baby horses—it was an incredible experience.