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Director Nupur Asthana saw *Romil and Jugal* as a chance to tell a same-sex love story with the recognizable pleasures of romance—not only the anguish of coming out. In a 2017 interview, she explained how the series reimagines Shakespeare’s *Romeo and Juliet*, why the story moved to the web, and how its two leads begin from very different places.
A Shakespearean romance reimagined
Asthana said she was drawn to the premise of recasting the familiar tragedy as a love story between two men. The script was first written by Anu Menon for a film; Asthana said she was excited by it and wanted to bring it to the screen. The series takes its central inspiration from Shakespeare’s *Romeo and Juliet*, but its focus is the relationship and the lives around it.
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Her creative aim was to shift the emphasis away from a coming-out story defined chiefly by pain. As she put it, “I wanted to move away from the narrative of angst to a more fun narrative about same-sex romance.” She said she spoke with gay friends and watched documentaries as part of her preparation, while taking care not to trivialize the subject. Her comments describe her approach and the feedback she had heard at the time; they should not be read as representing every LGBTQ+ viewer.
Why make it a web series rather than a film?
Asthana’s answer reflected the circumstances in which the project began. She said she believed the censor board would not have passed the story as a film when production started in December 2016. That was her contemporaneous assessment, not a description of current censorship policy. She also cited her Yash Raj Films contract and the arrival of Alt Balaji around the same time as factors that made the web format a practical fit.
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- Shrink-wrapped
For the story itself, the format offered room to develop Romil and Jugal beyond the romance, including their inner lives and family responses. Asthana also likened the creative environment she experienced to early television, saying the core team had room to work without the same ratings pressure she remembered. That is her perspective on this production, not a general account of streaming work.
Two different journeys toward acceptance
In the interview, Jugal has privately accepted his sexuality, while Romil remains in denial and dates girls. Their contrasting starting points shape the series: Romil’s journey involves recognizing his feelings and eventually telling his parents. The family stories give the romance additional stakes, showing that the characters’ private understanding of themselves is only one part of what they must navigate.
Rank #2
- Manufacturer: ChessDVDs
- Runtime: 75 minutes
- Hosted By: IM Andrew Martin
- Publication Year:
What Asthana said about a second season
Asked in the interview published on August 29, 2017, whether she was planning a second season, Asthana replied, “Of course,” then said the team was waiting for more people to discover the first season. This records her hope at that time; it does not establish that a second season was later produced or remains planned.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to watch *Romil and Jugal* in India
JustWatch India listed the series on JioHotstar, Amazon MX Player, and Amazon Prime Video Free with Ads in a catalog check dated October 4, 2026. Prime Video also has a series page. Streaming catalogs and playback terms can change and may depend on location or account, so check the service pages for current access.
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Best Value
- Indian Summers - 3-DVD Set
- Indian Summers - 3-DVD Set
Rank #4
Rank #3
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- Color; DVD; NTSC
Sources
- Scroll.in interview with Nupur Asthana, August 29, 2017
- JustWatch India listing for *Romil and Jugal*
- Prime Video series page
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
