First Look With Neha – Disney+Hotstar Specials ‘Aarya’
After a long hiatus from acting, Sushmita Sen is back with a bang. Her charisma, beauty, intelligence, and grace stunned the world when she won the Miss Universe title in 1994 and will leave you stunned again with her performance in the new Disney+Hotstar Specials web series, ‘Aarya.’ This First Look With Neha is truly special.
Based on the Dutch show ‘Black Widow’ (originally Penoza), ‘Aarya’ is the story of a woman who is compelled to take over her family business and enter the dark world of drug trafficking after her husband is murdered. Juggling between being a single mother of three and running an illegal business operation, Aarya Sareen (Sushmita Sen) finds herself caught in the middle of gangsters, international drug lords, and suspicious cops. With no one to trust but herself, Aarya dives headfirst into a world dominated by dangerous men.
Sushmita Sen is marvelous in her role as Aarya. The finesse she delivers on-screen does complete justice to her character’s personality, making one believe that this role was made for her. Every actor on the show had added their own style and charm to their character. Every actor on the show has added their own style and charm to their character, be it the
frustrated cop (Vikas Kumar), the jealous grandma (Sohaila Kapur) or the foreign jiju (Alexx O’Nell). Aarya’s husband Tej Sareen is played by Chandrachur Singh, who is seen on screen after a long time, in the pleasant role of a doting husband and father.
The show is co-created by Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi, and also stars Sikandar Kher as Daulat, Manish Chaudhary as Shekhawat, and Vishwajeet Pradhan as Sampat. Kher did a fantastic job in a role that had few dialogues and hence required more expression through body language. Two characters that stand out are Aarya’s business partner Jawahar (Namit Das) and her brother Sangram (Ankur Bhatia). If an actor can get you to despise their negatively portrayed character within the first few minutes, the actor has truly achieved their purpose. Das and Bhatia have both played their characters exceptionally well and you’ll find yourself rooting against Jawahar and Sangram.
The series has certain characteristics which are subtle and set it apart from most other Indian shows. Its progressive approach is apparent when you see Aarya’s young son going for therapy, her open relationship with her teenage children and their freedom to express.
This show sets the right tone for a well-directed crime-drama thriller. Will ‘Aarya’ survive in a familiar world of unfamiliar faces? Will she be able to protect her children? With a hook for a second season, this show certainly puts Hotstar on the international map of good original content platforms.
