Aahana Swrup
‘The Royals’ is a lively comedy-drama that charts a timeless love story told through a refreshingly modern lens. The Hindi-language show centers around the royal family of Morpur, who are rich in land, titles, and respect. Nonetheless, the recent death of their patriarch has left them without much in the way of assets. As a result, the reluctant King-to-be, Aviraaj Singh, has no choice but to partner with a promising hospitality startup to turn his family’s crowning jewel palace into a royal B&B experience. However, one major complication comes along with the deal: Sophia Kanmani Shekhar, the company’s successful CEO.
As the headstrong businesswoman clashes with the party prince, it opens up a world of trouble for the pair. Nonetheless, sparks simultaneously fly between the duo, offering them a whirlwind romance of a lifetime. This captivating Neha Sharma show takes the audience on a deep dive into the quips and quirks of modern Indian royalty, while also presenting relatable stories with nuanced characters.
The Royals is Not Based on a True Story
‘The Royals’ charts a riveting tale that revolves around the love story between a royal prince and a career-driven woman from a regular background. As circumstances push them together, forced proximity inevitably leads to drama and vulnerability, which paves the way for a grand romance. Nevertheless, these circumstances, settings, and events that form the framework of the narrative remain cemented in fictionality without any direct inspirations from real life. All the on-screen storytelling elements, from Morpur and its royal family to Sophia Shankar’s Work Potato startup, are simple works of fiction developed by Neha Sharma and her team of writers, which includes Vishnu Sinha, Annukampa Harsh, Ishita Pritish Nandy, and Rangita Pritish Nandy.
Yet, even though the specifics of the fictitious story aren’t rooted in real-life counterparts, it still remains grounded in authenticity. For instance, the base premise of turning royal focuses on the development of a royal Indian Palace into a hospitality experience for the public. While the approach Sophia’s character takes in this endeavor, and the central Motibagh palace itself, are without an off-screen parallel, the concept itself remains reflective of reality. In the contemporary landscape, numerous Indian palaces and forts that are still homes to the descendants of the historical noble class have been turned into luxury hotels as a part of the hospitality industry.
Famously, these include the Chail Palace in Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan’s Samode Palace, the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, and many more. These sites have long been blended into modern culture as luxury spots for vacations and events, allowing the public to experience the noble life and its opulence. Even so, there haven’t been any specific instances of a will distribution-gone-wrong leaving any royal families penniless to the point where the hospitality business becomes their last resort. Consequently, while ‘The Royals’ sticks close to reality in setting up its foundation, it remains a largely fictitious story.
The Royals Presents a Uniquely Indian Rom-com
Much of the charm of ‘The Royals’ emerges from its light-hearted, yet drama-filled narrative and characters. As stated by Tanya Bami, the Netflix India Series Head, the show was particularly created to fill the lack of rom-coms in 2025’s Hindi cinema. “Rom-coms have a timeless charm, they make us laugh, believe in love, and embrace the beautiful chaos that comes with it,” she shared with Netflix. “With ‘The Royals,’ we’ve created a modern love story that has an equally modern-day conflict.” The story centers around a prince and a woman from a non-royal background.
Even though this dynamic has been a staple in storytelling for a long time, ‘The Royals’ brings its own twist to it by shaping the characters around their Indian roots while simultaneously subverting cultural expectations. It adds depth and authenticity to each character, allowing them to inhabit relatable struggles and moments of levity. As a result, the narrative tells a distinctly Indian story that offers a yet-unexplored facet of the modern landscape. Ishaan Khatter, the lead actor, expanded upon this idea in a conversation with USA Today. He shared, “(‘The Royals’) reveals a side of India that is largely untapped in film and culturally rich, all whilst being subversive and modern in its storytelling.” Thus, the actor asserted that this blend of cultural specificity and universal relatability makes the show ideal for a global audience.
Aviraaj Singh is a Fictional Prince With Some Real-life Parallels
For the most part, the characters in ‘The Royals’ are as fictitious as the show itself. For the same reason, spoiled prince Aviraaj Singh, whose priorities initially lie in New York instead of his family in Morpur, remains a fictional addition to the narrative. His characterization as a party prince allows the story to mold a satisfying character arc around him, revolving around responsibilities and self-actualization. Nonetheless, these aspects of his storyline stem from Neha Sharma and her team’s creativity rather than real life. Even so, some other facts of his characterization seem to be reflective of off-screen Indian royalty.
Most prominently, notable parallels can be drawn between Aviraaj’s on-screen character and the real-life member of the former royal family of Jaipur: Padmanabh Singh. The real-life, unofficial Maharaja of Jaipur is one of the most well-known members of Indian royalty and has made a name for himself in the sport of competitive polo. Furthermore, he has also had a bustling modelling career and even walked the runway for Dolce and Gabbana in 2018. The same, paired with Singh’s Rajasthan roots, creates a significant parallel between him and Aviraaj. Similarly, other royal individuals, like Jodhpur’s Yuvraj Shivraj Singh and his stint with Polo at Eton University, also present a potential parallel. Therefore, it’s possible that the on-screen prince took some inspiration from the former in certain parts of his narrative. Still, there’s firm evidence that suggests Aviraaj’s character was directly modeled after a real-life prince.
Read More: The Royals: Is Work Potato a Real Company?
