'Daldal' actress Bhumi Pednekar breaks silence on acting hiatus as 'The Royals' trolling left her 'numb' and 'depleted'

Ahead of the premiere of her gritty OTT crime drama 'Daldal', Bhumi Pednekar has revealed the deeply personal reasons behind her recent disappearance from the spotlight. In a candid conversation, the actress confessed that a decade of relentless work, coupled with the divided opinions on her last appearance in the 2025 Netflix series 'The Royals', led to a period of "emotional depletion."

Bhumi Pednekar on the toll of trolling for 'The Royals'

Pednekar starred as Sophia in the Netflix series 'The Royals' opposite Ishaan Khatter. While the show was a viewership success and earned a Season 2 renewal, Pednekar's performance faced intense scrutiny and social media trolling. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Bhumi opened up saying, "When there is that much noise, you get numb."




The 'Mere Husband Ki Biwi' actress admitted that even though she appreciated the constructive feedback, the mean comments online made her decide to take a break. She hasn't worked on a movie set since June 2025 and says this was the "best decision" she could have done for her peace of mind.

Bhumi Pednekar on fearing mediocrity and her Harvard journey

Beyond the trolling, Bhumi Pednekar also opened up on the fear of becoming a mediocre actor that haunted her. "I had nothing left in me, no real-life experiences I could extend to my craft and that scared me" Pednekar noted.

“One of the biggest fears I had was being mediocre, and I think I reached there. It was this realisation, rather than the trolling itself, that pushed her to go back to the drawing board. It was important for me to accept that, and not be in denial, because I know what I’m capable of,” Pednekar made a heartfelt confession.

In order to re-discover herself, the 'Khel Khel Mein' actress utilized her time away to study and completed a leadership and global policy course at Harvard Kennedy School. "I read, I watched movies, I went to Harvard and did a course. I wanted to experience life again because I felt depleted as an actor," she said.

About 'Daldal'

The drama webseries stars Bhumi Pednekar as Rita Ferreira alongside Jaya Bhattacharya, Aditya Rawal and Saurabh Goyal. The series is slated for a release on January 30, 2026 on Prime Video. Pednekar plays a haunted officer tracking a cold-blooded serial killer in Mumbai. The series marks Bhumi’s powerful return from a sabbatical, showcasing a radical, "anti-hero" transformation as she battles personal demons and city-wide terror.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”