Disney+ Hotstar’s thriller series Aarya 2 does not disappoint as Sushmita Sen takes the lead to return once again as the protector of her family and friends, above all. The crime drama is co-created by Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi, who also directed the series, along with Vinod Rawat who served as the co-director. Produced by Ram Madhvani Films and Endemol Shine Group, the series features a stellar cast that reprises in their roles from the first season including Sushmita Sen, Sikandar Kher, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Vikas Kumar, Ankur Bhatia, Jayant Kripalani, Viren Vazirani, Virti Vaghani, Maya Sarao and others, along with new faces. Aarya 2 consists of 8 episodes with a runtime ranging between 30 to 60 minutes.
– Disney+ Hotstar’s Aarya 2 review does not contain spoilers –
Aarya 2: How far will you go to protect your loved ones?
By the end of Aarya Season 1, we knew that no matter how far Aarya runs, she will never be safe- The Russians are still hungry for their drug consignment, her father & brother have ruthlessly turned into her enemies and Shekhawat’s untimely death marked the start of another revenge story. Now that our titular character is back in the jar of crabs, she needs to hold it together to emerge as the final figure of authority in the story.
Sushmita Sen’s Aarya returns to her hometown, initially to help ACP Khan put Tej’s (Aarya’s late husband) offenders behind bars. But, a twist of events lands Aarya in a conflicted stage where she makes a dangerous choice that turns her life upside down, threatening her out of the cave, ultimately giving rise to the lioness flexing out her claws to protect the ones she loves.
But things get messier as she is constantly dragged into a peat bog of moral dilemma and recognizing who she can rely on and not. The film poses a subtle but, important complexity of violence and manipulation- how extreme is too extreme when your circumstances play a bigger role in your decision-making skills than your moral compass?
Also Read: Bob Biswas (2021) Review: Abhishek Bachchan Is the Town’s Hitman for Hire
Sushmita Sen is applaudable in her role as it becomes practically impossible to take your eyes while delivering one of her most intense and beautiful performances to date. She cripples under fear when she feels her world, her children, slipping away. But, she never forgets to hold her head up high and roar in the face of danger when required. Aarya 2 definitely offers her the stage more explicitly in comparison to the first season of the show.
Uncannily, most of the characters (maybe, except the Russians) are likeable, given you know where they come from. The series does revolve around Aarya but, it never takes away the essence that the supporting characters are also human enough to deserve our compassion and condolence at times. It plays out beautifully in showcasing the good and bad that resides in all of us.
For instance, Vikas Kumar’s ACP Khan is bearable and you’d hate him less in this season. This is not because he is no longer crossing his boundaries, but due to the fact that you get a more detailed snippet of how his obsession with Aarya’s case is simultaneously destroying him as much as it is harming our protagonist in question.
Aarya 2: Final Verdict
Aarya 2 is intense and keeps you at the edge of the seat, wanting for more. The actors are phenomenal, the script empowers the characters and the background score is a nostalgic wave to always take a pause. The second season has beautifully played out and the end has given us enough hopes for a season three. Given how feminist and empowering the series is, it is essential to greenlight shows like this more in comparison to what actually gets greenlit on a regular basis.
You can watch all the episodes of Aarya 2 now on Disney+ Hotstar.
Also Read: Harry Potter Hogwarts Tournament Of Houses Episode 1 Review: Gryffindor Vs Hufflepuff