Creative Shake-Up: Darlings Director Jasmeet K. Reen Replaces Nupur Asthana for The Royals Season 2
Netflix India’s high-profile romantic comedy series The Royals is undergoing a major creative restructuring ahead of its second chapter. According to an exclusive report by Variety India, acclaimed filmmaker Jasmeet K. Reen has been officially tapped to helm the upcoming season of the Ishaan Khatter-led drama.
Reen, who burst onto the scene with her critically appreciated 2022 directorial debut Darlings, will take over the primary directorial reins from Nupur Asthana. Asthana, who co-directed the maiden season alongside Priyanka Ghose, reportedly stepped away from the project due to scheduling conflicts, as she is currently directing another upcoming Netflix series backed by Ekta Kapoor. Meanwhile, co-director Priyanka Ghose is expected to remain attached to the production.
Core Casting Changes and Production Timeline
The directorial transition follows hot on the heels of another major shake-up within the show’s core lineup. Reports indicate that Bhumi S. Pednekar, who starred as the female lead opposite Ishaan Khatter in Season 1, will not be returning for the next installment. Her departure is understood to be part of a broader narrative and creative overhaul initiated by the showrunners.
Jasmeet K. Reen’s Packed 2026 Slate
Landing the director’s chair for The Royals further solidifies Jasmeet K. Reen’s standing as one of the industry’s most sought-after creators. After earning widespread acclaim for the dark comedy Darlings—which starred Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, and Vijay Varma—Reen lined up another massive prestigious assignment: a period biopic on the legendary Indian silver screen icon, Madhubala.
The highly anticipated biopic, which is being produced by mastermind auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali, will reportedly feature breakout Dhurandhar actress Sara Arjun stepping into the titular role of Madhubala.
To balance her expanding filmography, Reen is structurally organizing her calendar to completely wrap up principal photography for Netflix’s The Royals Season 2 during the third quarter of 2026, allowing her to transition fully into pre-production for the Bhansali-backed period biopic later this year.
