In an exclusive chat with The Pioneer, director Priyanka Ghose discusses her latest Netflix series The Royals, sharing her experience working with a multi-generational cast and her collaborative directing style. She also reflects on her personal journey with late actor Sidharth Shukla and hints at exciting upcoming projects
Tejal Sinha
tejal.sinha30@gmail.com
Power. Privilege. Betrayal. And a legacy dripping in secrets. With The Royals now streaming on Netflix, director Priyanka Ghose delivers a dazzling drama that’s equal parts visually sumptuous and emotionally raw. Following her Emmy-nominated work on The Night Manager and Broken But Beautiful season 3, Ghose brings her signature flair to this palace of intrigue, in a story where modern ambition collides with ancient bloodlines.
What initially drew her to this series was its unique setting—a blend of modern India and royal legacy. “The very first time I heard the concept and the setup, I was excited. It was a story set against the backdrop of today’s Indian royalty—how they are, the lives they lead—and marrying that with the modern urban entrepreneur world. That was the biggest thrill for me.”
She was deeply intrigued by the story’s central theme of shifting power and privilege. “It’s a long-standing theme of our show. You see how modern India is being shaped by the entrepreneurs of today and at the same time, there’s this legacy of royal families who are trying to find relevance in today’s world—be it in fashion, travel, or as influencers. That interplay is what really drew me in,” she adds.
The ensemble cast features celebrated veterans like Zeenat Aman and Sakshi Talwar, alongside younger talents such as Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar. One might expect such a generational mix to be a challenge, but Priyanka found it refreshing. “This is actually such a fun question. There’s a mix people assume won’t gel—older actors and a younger bunch—but I had just come off another project with a similar dynamic and honestly, it’s beautiful.”
For her, the set became a collaborative, age-blind creative space. “We all kind of live together, trying to create something. While doing that, age, sex, gender, caste—it all ceases to matter. Everyone’s just an artist bringing something new to the table,” she says. She fondly recalls how Zeenat Aman was “possibly the youngest person at heart” and how Sakshi Talwar, often perceived as serious, constantly cracked jokes. “You’ve got siblings, Zeenat ji, Sakshi ma’am—everyone’s playing pranks. Even I get called a prankster! That fun is how we powered through intense, long-hour schedules. It’s the only way to create something filled with life and energy.”
Priyanka’s directorial approach is rooted in freedom and deep collaboration. “I don’t think I should be giving out the tricks of my trade,” she chuckles, before elaborating. “My process is very collaborative. I spend a lot of time—sometimes months, sometimes days—before shoot with my actors, working one-on-one. We dissect the script, understand the tone, chart scene graphs, explore power dynamics and just jam.”
Launching a series of this scale required a careful, strategic start. “There are so many characters and elements in a long series. So, I always start with what I call a soft start,” she explains. She ensured the first few days of shoot were light, allowing everyone—from the cast to crew—to settle in and sync. “You need to function like a well-oiled machine for something this intense. These early days are like setting the tone for a marathon.”
She recalls shooting some of the grandest and most challenging sequences—ones that shaped the visual appeal of the show. There’s Bhumi’s beach horse race against Ishaan, a rooftop party featured in the trailer, Ishaan’s polo match in Episode 3, a massive rooftop dance number in Episode 5 and his majestic coronation in Episode 6.
While these scenes were cinematic highlights, it was the intimate, emotionally charged performances that stayed with her the most. “Beyond these large-scale moments, I have my four personal favourite scenes—ones that leaped off the page because of the actors’ energy. One of them is in the trailer: a dinner table scene between Ishaan and Bhumi in Episode 6. It turned out magical. We found the rhythm and emotional highs and lows on set—something we hadn’t rehearsed. That magic is priceless.”
Ask her to name the most unforgettable memory from the shoot, and she instantly lights up. “The two days we spent shooting the finale set piece at City Palace in Rajasthan. It was bang in the middle of this gigantic courtyard. That memory is just unforgettable—for emotional and creative reasons.”
At the core of The Royals is its multi-generational ensemble, each character caught in their own emotional arc. For Priyanka, balancing these layered characters was both a challenge and a creative joy.
“This series has given me the opportunity to really deep-dive into very complex human emotions. There are so many interpersonal dynamics within the family and with the outsiders who come into their world — that’s what gives birth to the story.”
Acknowledging her writing team, she continues, “The balance of each character’s significance to the overall story was beautifully crafted at the writing level itself. Huge credit to my writers and of course the creators, who gave birth to a world and characters that were inherently driving the narrative forward.”
As a director, her job was to ensure that each character’s tone felt authentic and unfolded gradually. “Every character has their own journey, and their starting point and ending marks are very unique. That’s not just a challenge but the most fun exercise in this show,” she shares.
One of the biggest challenges, the Broken But Beautiful season 3 filmmaker says, was making the emotional core of these seemingly unrelatable lives resonate with viewers.
“Often, it’s hard to connect with characters from a world that’s not part of our lived reality. When you’re doing something in a completely fictitious universe — like fantasy or sci-fi — it becomes easy for the audience to disconnect. And with The Royals, we knew we were presenting a world that’s largely unfamiliar to the everyday viewer.”
Despite its lavish setting, The Royals is an emotionally intense drama. Collaborating closely with her DOP Neha and production designer — who also happens to be her sister, Priyanka was determined to reflect the duality of beauty and inner turmoil.
She emphasised a color story that reflected character arcs and emotional beats. “I wanted tone-on-tone palettes in specific scenes and pops of color in others. Zeenat Aman’s character, for instance, pops — and so does Ginny, her spiritual extension,” she shares.
There are some collaborations that go beyond the script—beyond the screen, even. For Priyanka, her work with Sidharth Shukla on Broken But Beautiful was one such deeply personal journey. Theirs wasn’t just a director-actor equation; it was a meeting of minds, a creative synergy that blossomed into a profound friendship.
So when she’s asked about Sidharth, her voice lowers, and the emotion is unmistakable. “It’s a very delicate, sensitive question for me,” she says. “Sid was, in fact, one of my closest friends.”
Their bond, she shares, wasn’t just born from shared screen time—it was forged in the trenches of creation. It was Broken But Beautiful that brought them together, both creatively and personally. “We became such good friends because of Broken. Our creative collaboration is what brought us close. We started to appreciate each other not just as professionals, but as human beings,” she reflects.
Shukla, at the time, had just emerged from the public glare of Bigg Boss, carrying with him a certain reputation and perception. For Priyanka, the task was both delicate and transformative. “I needed him to step into Agastya’s shoes—to become something he wasn’t and yet draw from parts of himself. That’s how he tapped into emotions with such honesty,” she explains.
Together, they delved deep into the nuances of the character. “We worked on every single scene—on where the anger stems from, how obsession creeps in, and how far Agastya would go before pulling back. There were intense conversations, rehearsals, and a lot of homework we did together. That process, that trust, is what made the portrayal so layered. I truly believe that’s why the show became what it did.”
But her memories with Sidharth are not confined to the set. “I have too many,” she says, her voice breaking slightly. “They go beyond our time working together. I’m still family to him—and to his family. I remain very, very close to them. His niece is actually my assistant now.”
That bond, she admits, is sacred and hard to put into words. “We shared something special. And I don’t think I can talk much about it, because losing him… it felt like I lost a part of me. It will always be a very, very delicate topic.”
While the grief still lingers, Priyanka continues to pour herself into her work—and there’s much on the horizon. “There are exciting projects coming up,” she says. “But I can’t reveal anything just yet—I have to wait for official announcements.”
She does, however, confirm that she’s already on set for her next project. “I’m in the middle of the shoot, and it’s something I’m very, very excited about. It’s a project that’s pushed me to set the bar even higher, and I’m working with some of the finest in the industry. It has a huge ensemble and a story I truly believe in.”
There’s also more quietly taking shape behind the scenes. “There are other series and films I’m developing parallelly—some new ideas, and maybe some follow-ups to earlier projects. So yes, there’s a lot happening. A lot to be grateful for.”
As she speaks, there’s a mix of calm confidence and quiet humility. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities coming my way. And I just hope I’m able to do justice to each one.”
