Netflix India’s latest series, The Royals, may not be anything special, but one character has caught everyone’s attention — The Nawab of Dhondi, played by none other than Pakistani actor Alyy Khan.
Amid Modi government’s sweeping ban on all things Pakistani—ranging from blocking YouTube channels and social media accounts of Pakistani celebrities to erasing their names and images from Bollywood promotions.
The ban, enforced due to “national security reasons” in the wake of heightened India-Pakistan tensions and recent cross-border strikes, was meant to keep Pakistani artists and content out of Indian media entirely.
Yet, Alyy Khan has not only avoided the anti-Pakistan sentiment and Hindu extremism, he is thriving on one of India’s most-watched Netflix shows, released just a day after India’s missile attack on Pakistani cities and a day before Pakistan’s counterstrike (May 9).
While other Pakistani artists have been erased from the Indian media, Alyy Khan’s supporting role in The Royals has not only survived the crackdown but is getting significant screen time.
Directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, The Royals was filmed in Jaipur and Mumbai. The series has received mixed reviews, with critics praising its production design and performances but criticizing its lack of originality and narrative depth.
Alyy Khan is a well-known Pakistani-British actor with a career spanning film, television, and theatre across Pakistan, India, and the UK. Born in Karachi and raised in London, Alyy has appeared in a range of international projects, including Bollywood films like Don 2 and Luck by Chance, as well as acclaimed dramas such as Mere Paas Tum Ho and Pakeezah.
