LIGHTS, CAMERA, COUTURE
HERE COMES THE GROOM
Fresh off the success of their latest Netflix release, The Royals, Ishaan Khatter & Bhumi Pednekar talk fashion, glamour & weddings. Praachi Raniwala listens in.
It’s a tale as old as time: boy meets girl, and tempers flare before sparks can fly. But destiny always steps in with grander plans. Now picture this eternal tale set against the backdrop of Rajasthan’s magnificent palaces…the leading man, a polo-playing maharaja with supermodel good looks (and abs to match), and his lady love, a self-made startup queen. Et voila! You have the winning recipe for Netflix’s most recent love story, The Royals— a dramatic, modern day rom-com where two opposite worlds collide, following the ‘will they? won’t they?’ journey of Maharaja Aviraaj Singh and Sophia Shekhar, essayed by Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar respectively.
When the show hit screens this May, it garnered mixed reviews, but popcorn-crunchers binged the escapades of the show’s ensemble cast also featuring Zeenat Aman, Milind Soman, Sakshi Tanwar, Vihaan Samat, Kavya Trehan and Lisa Mishra. The show spotlighted the grandeur of the royals of Morpur, with wardrobes to match, and was lapped up by audiences, and season two officially on its way now. But what went on behind the scenes? We caught the show’s protagonists in a candid conversation on all things couture, costume, and the caper everyone is still talking about.
PRAACHI RANIWALA (PR): WHAT DREW YOU TO THE STORYLINE OF THE ROYALS
AND THE CHARACTERS YOU PLAY IN IT?
ISHAAN KHATTER (IK): That it is a modern satire on royalty. It was the juxtaposition of making a glamorous show—one about royals no less—but also showcasing the fact that their legacy is withering. This was a very interesting premise to me, as was the enemies-to-lovers arc. I also thought all the characters in the royal family were very exciting and eccentric. As for my character, I saw potential to dive deep into the inner world of this guy—there was a lot to bite into, especially in the dynamic between Aviraaj and his father, which the story keeps coming back to. It is a very beautiful relationship that reveals itself through the season, but not without a deep scar, and exploring that was such a thrill.
BHUMI PEDNEKAR (BP): I had never done something like The Royals in the last decade. It was a piece of content that just let me have some fun. I grew up on Mills & Boons, so the classic narrative of enemies turning to lovers was exciting to portray on celluloid. And then there is Sophia’s character—fierce, quirky and stubborn; a woman in a man’s world. She was often on the receiving end of sexism and prejudice, which I am no stranger to in real life either. I’ve always lived a very unconventional life, where so many of my choices have been questioned, and that’s where I resonated deeply with Sophia.
PR: ISHAAN, HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR THE ROLE, AND DID YOU DIVE DEEPER INTO THE LIVES OF ANY ROYALS FOR INSPIRATION?
IK: I learnt horse riding from scratch, and then polo as well. That was a steep hill to climb, with just about two-and-a-half months to accomplish it. But I enjoyed it so much that I devoted myself to it, and eventually ended up shooting all of the horse riding scenes myself. I did research some royal families in the initial stages of preparation, and not just Indian ones, but also young royals from across the world like the Prince of Brunei.
PR: COSTUMES, OF COURSE, PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE ROYALS. TELL US ABOUT THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING YOUR WARDROBE, AND SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE LOOKS?
BP: Looking all shiny and beautiful was a core requirement of the show, so yes, costumes were important. Stylists Aastha Sharma and Reann Moradian made sure that it was a highlight. Sophia was a lot about power dressing, but in feminine silhouettes, in white and pastel tones.
We were also able to collaborate with icons like Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, and their archival lehenga I wore in the final episode is one of my most favourite looks from the show. We used pieces from within my own wardrobe too, such as a Vivienne Westwood pantsuit and an Alexandre Vauthier dress.
IK: Aviraaj’s clothes are like second skin and you see his transformation as a character through his attire. From off duty modelesque oversized shirts to brooches on his tuxedo, and eventually the sherwani with all of the jewellery and safa, you see different shades of this character through his clothes.
PR: BHUMI, YOU ARE CONSTANTLY EXPERIMENTING WITH INDIAN WEAR OFF CAMERA. TELL US ABOUT SOME LOOKS YOU TRULY ENJOYED PUTTING TOGETHER.
BP: The sari is one of my most favourite silhouettes. It’s so versatile and comfortable, and I love
experimenting with its drape. A look that I truly enjoyed putting together was a glass armour that I wore over a sari for an award function. There was a lot of chatter about it online. I was gifted the glass armour by the brand, and I have since hung it as a piece of art in my home. I was so proud of this outfit.
PR: AS WE ENTER THE WEDDING SEASON, WHAT IS YOUR FASHION ADVICE FOR BRIDES AND GROOMS?
IK: I think it’d be cool to revitalise the modern Indian groom silhouette by taking a leaf from the book of princes and maharajas. But most importantly, don’t force an outfit, just have fun with it.
BP: I’d love to see brides experimenting with colour. I know red, pink and gold are timeless, but it would be so refreshing to see brides in bolder hues too. Yes, it’s gutsy, but also so much fun. And I think sustainability-conscious brides are the coolest brides, so props to anyone who’s thinking about that while planning their wedding.
PR: WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO WEDDING GUEST OUTFIT?
BP: God, I love attending weddings, especially the mehendi and haldi, because you can really have fun with your outfits. I usually enjoy resort wear looks for these events. Though let’s face it, I’m so extra that lehengas at weddings really have my heart. I always wear heeled sneakers with them. Now, there are so many embroidered options in the market for this; but back in the day, I’d buy lace to match my outfit and stick them onto sneakers from international brands, so It felt like an extension of the look.
IK: Truth be told, I haven’t attended too many weddings. But when I do, my go-to look is something chic and sauve like a well-fitted kurta or a nice suit. Nothing that would upstage the groom, though.
PR: SEASON 2 OF THE ROYALS ASIDE, WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU ON THE WORK FRONT?
IK: My other recent project, Homebound, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this summer, so I’m just basking in that. It’s a very rare story, a special film with director Neeraj Ghaywan, whom I’ve admired for a long, long time. We also had the inimitable Martin Scorsese on board as executive producer and that was just so exciting.
BP: I have a new series called Daldal coming up with Amazon Prime. I am very fortunate to have two long format shows that are so far away from each other, exactly the opposite, on two of the leading streaming platforms. I also have a couple of films releasing, but you’ll have to wait and watch for more on those.
