Bhumi Pednekar says she rejected many 'OTT shows that went on to become huge successes': I never connected with them

Bhumi Pednekar talks about her web series debut with The Royals and what took her this long to come to long-form streaming.

After almost 10 years in the industry as an actor, Bhumi Pednekar is finally set to appear on streaming. The actor will star in the new Netflix show, The Royals, which premieres next month. This marks Bhumi's web series debut. In conversation with HT, the actor spoke about why she finally said yes to OTT and how The Royals differs from the other shows she was offered before. (

Bhumi Pednekar is making her web series debut with The Royals.

Bhumi on her web series debut

Bhumi admits that she was offered some shows that ended up being successful, but she passed them on. "I have had the opportunity to read some phenomenal shows that have gone on and become huge successes. But I never connected with them the way I connected with Royals. That also has to do with the kind of work I was seeking at that point," she says.

But then, saying yes to The Royals was as much about the script as the genre, the actor explains, "Rom com is, hands down, my most favourite genre. I don't think we make enough of those. I grew up reading Mills & Boon. That's why I love Korean dramas, because there is so much romance there." Recalling the first time she read the show's script, Bhumi tells us, “I had dengue and I was in the hospital, and I started reading the script because it is my favourite genre, and I could not stop reading. Then, my last film with Netflix - Bhakshak - was a huge success. It was an immediate yes for me.”

Bhumi on her role in The Royals

In The Royals, Bhumi plays a corporate bigshot who gets sucked into the world of India's erstwhile royalty. Ishaan Khatter plays her love interest, a prince. Talking about the role, she says, "Playing this part is unlike anything I have done. I haven't really ventured into this space of urban glamour the way I have with this show. What I love about The Royals is that, yes, it is good-looking, it has romance at its core, but it is also very nuanced. It has beautiful themes about sisterhood, friendship, and love for all. There will be something for everyone."

Apart from Ishaan and Bhumi, The Royals boasts a large ensemble cast, including Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Chunky Pandey, Vihaan Samat, and Sumukhi Suresh. The show premieres on Netflix on May 9.