Sushmita Sen is back in and as Aarya in the show’s third season but regrettably, there are just four episodes out. I say regrettably because Aarya might be Disney+ Hotstar’s most bingeable Indian web show so let the people binge! After season 2, we meet Aarya Sareen who is now a formidable kingpin in the drugs trade after having reluctantly stepped into the role foremost to protect her children.
And that is one of the running themes of Aarya’s character – she is often compared to a lioness both for her fierce protective spirit and for the reason that she only comes back stronger every time she takes a hit. How often has Indian cinema used the “ghaayal sher aur bhi khunkhaar hota hai” (A wounded lion is even more dangerous) adage? While she continues to rise in the ranks, she has new adversaries. The Russian mob she is working with aside, Sooraj (Indraneil Sengupta) is out for blood to avenge his wife’s passing.
To add to her woes, her meteoric rise means that she has been stepping on some toes, most importantly those of Nalini (Ila Arun). If Sen and Arun’s performances are anything to go by, the inevitable showdown between the two is going to be one for the books.
In Aarya, the makers often explore ‘violence’ with nuance. While it is widely understood that violence is never the answer, character motivations aren’t always black and white. Aarya fights for her children and family and Sooraj has, perhaps unintentionally, let his grief morph into rage. That is what makes Aarya such an inviting show – every character’s morality is ambiguous.
But the direction (by Ram Madhvani, Kapil Sharma, Shraddha Pasi Jairath) and the cinematography always ensure that there is a distance between the audience and the characters. The distance helps you view the story without personal investment because it is a life that is very different from our own.
One is left wondering, “What will Aarya do now?” and rarely, “What would I do in this situation?” The camera is always outside looking in. The frames are spectacular as always, even though the Holi sequence in the second season still features some of the favourite shots from the show.
As someone who found it difficult to engage with the second season, I was half-skeptical about tuning into the third one but boy, did the investment pay off. Sushmita Sen plays Aarya with a conviction that is almost infectious – when she speaks her dialogues in a calm, measured manner, her eyes betray how she really feels. Moments of betrayal, calculative risk, and grief are all captured in subtlety. Sen is the show’s focus and rightfully so.
She, additionally, has a strong ensemble cast to support her – both as friends and foes. Her eldest son Veer is played with impeccable restraint by Viren Vazirani. Maya Sarao as her friend and confidant, Sengupta, Vikas Kumar as ACP Khan, Vishwajeet Pradhan as the loyal Sampat, and Geetanjali Kulkarni all tie the show together.
Speaking of, the way the writers keep the multiple plots on track is commendable. It is easy for narrative threads to get lost in the noise in a show like this and there are times when it feels like some arcs are being rushed over but overall, season 3 is intriguing and concise.
As Aarya continues to get trapped in the workings of her business, a frustrated Veer slowly becomes her moral compass – he asks her questions she doesn’t seem to dare to ask herself. One complaint I remember having with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (I know they are considerably different shows, bare with me) is that the show seemed to step away and often excuse its own protagonists faults. Thankfully, Aarya doesn’t treat its protagonist as hero or villain.
Arguably, there are some places where you feel like the show might be focusing on being binge-worthy than effective. Whether that makes the show a better or worse watch for you is going to be subjective. One qualm I do have with the show is with the creative choice to include poetry to take on a more ‘tell don’t show’ approach. With the kind of smart writing that Aarya has, the decision takes more away from the show than it contributes. I understand that poetry acts as a medium for Aarya’s daughter to express herself but the route the show takes to incorporate it feels rather jarring.
One particular sequence where we are introduced to Nalini as basically a more frightening Aarya is a testament to how well the show has managed to set up its characters. We see in Nalini a reflection of both what Aarya aspires to be and is afraid to become. The teaser for the second part that the first concludes with features a ‘Kill Bill’-esque Aarya wielding swords, ready for battle.
Kill Bill, of course, had a much more intimate relationship between a weapon and its wielder but I am curious to see how Madhvani and crew manage to take the intimacy between Aarya and the world she has stepped into to the next level.
After having watched the first season, I did find myself wondering if Aarya’s creators would be able to continue to build upon the delectably grisly world they’d created but season 3 did not disappoint.
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