Netflix’s The Royals is getting another major creative shake-up just as its second season gets underway.
Mitakshara Kumar has reportedly taken over directing duties on the Ishaan Khatter-led series from Darlings filmmaker Jasmeet K Reen, who exited the project after only three days of filming. Production is currently underway in Rajasthan, with the change reportedly happening while the team was shooting a major sequence at Suryagarh in Jaisalmer.
Netflix and the producers have not officially confirmed Reen’s departure or the reported reason behind it, so claims of creative differences should remain attributed to industry reports rather than treated as established fact.
Mitakshara Kumar steps in without stopping the shoot
According to reports citing Variety India, disagreements around the script and its execution emerged during the opening days of production, eventually leading to Reen’s departure. Mitakshara Kumar was then brought in to take charge.
The transition appears to have happened quickly.
A source quoted in the reporting said, “We haven’t lost any working hours,” suggesting that Kumar’s arrival allowed the team to continue without significantly disrupting the shooting schedule.
Kumar is an interesting choice for a show so heavily invested in palaces, wealth and visual excess.
She directed The Empire and later worked as an episodic director on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi. She had previously spent years working with Bhansali, including as chief assistant director on Bajirao Mastani and associate director on Padmaavat.
That background does not necessarily mean The Royals will suddenly become Heeramandi, but Kumar is certainly familiar with stories where elaborate production design and aristocratic settings need to coexist with character drama.
Season 2 was already undergoing a major reset
The director change is not the only difference viewers should expect when The Royals returns.
Ishaan Khatter is back as Prince Aviraaj Singh and began filming in Rajasthan earlier this month, even sharing glimpses of his horse-riding preparation.
However, Bhumi Pednekar is reportedly not returning as Sophia Shekhar, despite her relationship with Aviraaj forming the central romance of Season 1. Netflix has not publicly detailed how Sophia’s absence will be handled within the story.
Instead, reports say Sini Shetty and Gurfateh Pirzada are joining Khatter at the center of a new romantic triangle. Nora Fatehi is also expected to return alongside several members of the original ensemble.
That means Season 2 is starting to look less like a straightforward continuation and more like a substantial reworking of the show’s original formula.
Reen herself had already represented a directorial change. Season 1 was helmed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, while Reen—best known for directing Alia Bhatt’s Darlings—was brought aboard for the second chapter earlier this year.
Now Kumar becomes the latest filmmaker asked to shape the next phase.
Netflix clearly still sees potential in The Royals
Whatever is happening behind the camera, Netflix has good reason to continue investing in the series.
The streamer says Season 1 became the first Indian series to trend in Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English TV list across 58 countries. Netflix renewed it only weeks after its May 2025 debut.
Creators Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy previously promised a second season that would be “bigger, bolder” and packed with more drama.
They may now be getting a rather dramatic production story behind the scenes as well.
The key point is that The Royals Season 2 does not appear to be shutting down because of the director switch. Kumar has reportedly taken over, filming is continuing, and Khatter remains firmly at the center of the new chapter.
Netflix has yet to announce a release date.
