Radhikaraje Gaekwad: Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad of Baroda took a subtle dig at Ishaan Khatter and Bhumi Pednekar’s The Royals, which premiered on Netflix on May 9. Her post, titled The Royal Ignore, sparked a flurry of reactions on social media. The show has received mixed reactions, with both praise and criticism. While some viewers appreciated its visual appeal, others criticised its storyline. The criticism gained momentum when a real royal, the Maharani of Baroda, publicly slammed the show. Her view is that the show is a complete misrepresentation of modern-day royals.
Now, Maharani Radhikaraje Gaekwad of Baroda has openly criticised the show for showing modern-day royals in the wrong way. She posted a long message on Instagram. In it, she said that many royals still have an important role in India’s culture and society. She also shared her disappointment about how royal women were shown in the series.
Her long note that read- “The Royal Ignore. One would imagine the royals of India, a community abundantly chronicled, photographed, biographed, and today well-positioned in a range of arenas from politics, hospitality, to magazine covers.”
The Maharani added, “Would have a better chance of surviving an on-screen portrayal such as the one in The Royals. Alas, that was not to be, and such is our fate, since 1947…What began as a post-independence, politically motivated propaganda of stereotypical Rajas soaked in whiskey and profligacy and Ranis in chiffons and pearls continues to define us.”
Radhikaraje said that showing Rajas as drunk and wasteful, and Ranis as only wearing chiffons and pearls, is a wrong and fixed image. She said this image started after India gained independence and continues today. She hinted that the Netflix series shows royals in the same way.
“India has also seen some of their finest statesmen, diplomats, wildlife conservationists, bureaucrats, army officers, educationists, sportsmen, hoteliers and entrepreneurs emerge from royalty and today our places, forts and museums are perhaps the last few sentinels of India’s undiluted, apolitical patronage and cultural history, all maintained in our personal capacity. Yet after all these decades, our own country continues to view us — all 565 families and a few thousand nobility, with an odd mixture of awe, ignorance, and distaste.”
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About Kattar’s Character In The Show
At last, taking a dig at Ishaan Khatter’s character in the series, Radhikaraje wrote, “The young royals too are returning to their roots armed with degrees from universities around the world. They proudly staddle the two worlds, speak their mother tongue, wear their turbans, but work to make their heritage sustainable, relatable, and accessible. For they know if not them, no one else can.”
Who Is Maharani Of Baroda?
The Maharani of Baroda, has always been in the limelight- whether for her philanthropy, love for art, elegant sarees, or charitable initiatives. Radhikaraje Gaekwad is an expert in heritage conservation and a champion of textile revival. MillionaireAsia magazine featured her for her achievements. She belongs to the royal family of Wankaner State and married Maharaja Samarjitsinh Ranjitsinh Gaekwad. Maharani lives in the four-storey Lakshmi Vilas Palace, which spans 700 acres and boasts 170 rooms, all originally intended for the Maharaja and Maharani’s use. The estimated value of Lakshmi Vilas Palace is expected to surpass Rs 25,000 crore.
