Aarya Season 3 Review: Sushmita Sen Dominates The Gritty, Blood-soaked Saga With Finesse
To address the one complaint I had about Aarya Season 3, let's tackle its brevity first. Disney+ Hotstar is adopting The Night Manager approach with the Ram Madhvani and Sushmita Sen show, releasing the third installment in two parts. With part 1 currently streaming, if it's any indication, part 2 promises a lengthy but worthwhile anticipation.
The transformation of Aarya
At the conclusion of the previous season, Aarya had ascended to the role of a don. Her first target, her biological father, was met with fatal gunfire. Reflecting on her ability to pull the trigger, she shuddered at how effortlessly she acted, not due to his identity, but simply because he was a living, breathing human being.
In Season 3, Aarya assumes control from the outset. The premiere episode begins with a recap set to the memorial song of her deceased husband Tej, "Bade Acche Lagte Hain," before transitioning to a more intense, gangster-themed score. Sushmita appears in a black bathrobe with the hood up, puffing on a cigar, surveying her domain from her stronghold.
Sushmita evolves from the apprehensive mother depicted in the initial two seasons into a formidable lioness in Season 3. However, her transformation remains authentic and seamless, as she injects her portrayal with an authoritative aura derived from newfound influence. Simultaneously, she ensures that glimpses of the former Aarya resurface when necessary, preventing us from losing sight of her origins.
For an actor whose character has traditionally thrived on vulnerability and emotional openness, the transition is indeed a challenge. However, Sushmita skillfully presents the empowered Aarya in a dramatically captivating manner, almost as if she revels in a newfound game. Her transformation is amplified by a wardrobe of all-black power dressing. The camera often captures her from oblique angles, seemingly evading direct eye contact, as her eyes betray the fear beneath the weight of newfound authority.
Introduced New villains
Indraneil Sengupta emerges as Suraj, the late husband of Nandini, who was killed by Maya in Season 2. Interestingly, the actor previously confronted a determined mother on a mission in Sujoy Ghosh's Kahaani (2012). However, this time, he enjoys more screen time and a detailed backstory.
Similar to Sushmita, Indraneil also portrays his character with a ruthless and enigmatic aura, channeling all his pain into a pursuit for vengeance. Nevertheless, it is in fleeting tender moments, when the camera captures his face, that his moist eyes eloquently convey his emotions.
Another addition to the array of villains, Nalini Sahiba (Ila Arun) presents herself as more composed and strategic. She embodies everything that Aarya prides herself on, amplified to the highest degree. Nalini is a powerful don with extensive connections, commanding an army of armed henchmen.
Additionally, she is a single working mother with a wealth of experience in reclaiming her late husband's lost ventures. Introduced as a lioness huntress in a realm where Aarya holds the position of a lioness, Ila infuses her character with a regal composure and a playful sense of threat, likely to erupt further in Part 2.
While ACP Khan and the Russians remain familiar adversaries, the most formidable challenge confronting Aarya is her diminishing conscience. While the aforementioned villains inject the show with excitement, its emotional core resides in Aarya's struggle to shield her children from her own internal conflicts. She combats the external villains because it's more manageable with her newfound resources, yet she continues to evade the internal battle within herself.
Viren Vazrani, portraying Aarya's eldest son Veer, experiences several notable moments in this season. He embodies what Tej could have become if Aarya had pursued her family's path instead of her husband's. With a confident posture and confrontational demeanor, Viren effectively holds his ground in scenes with Sushmita, portraying Veer's ability to reflect his mother's own struggles.
Despite the treacherous path Aarya commits to traverse each time, we find ourselves continually rooting for her. Ultimately, she embodies the essence of a working mother. Having faced a lifetime of cornering and deceit by men, she remains resolute in envisioning a brighter future for her children. This struggle forms the very heart and soul of Aarya: the unavoidable self-defeat in becoming the very entity she feared her whole life.