Aarya, currently streaming on Disney+Hotstar, marks Sushmita Sen’s comeback to acting after almost a decade with a nuanced performance. Directors Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi and co-director Vinod Rawat have given the story some twisted plots and Sushmita’s impressive screen presence.
Aarya (Sushmita), married to Tej (Chandrachur Singh), is a mother of three kids, a devoted wife, daughter and sister, trying to keep an uneasy peace in her family.
Aarya’s father Zorawar Rathod (Jayant Kriplani) runs a pharmaceutical company with his son Sangram (Ankur Bhatia), son-in-law Tej and Tej’s drug addict friend Jawahar (Namit Das). The company is a medium for smuggling opium across the world. Sangram and Jawahar steal heroin worth Rs 300 crore from a fellow drug cartel boss Shekhawat (Manish Chaudhari).
Aarya gives Tej an ultimatum either to leave the business or family. Unfortunately, Tej is shot in broad daylight, with his youngest son being the sole eyewitness.
A narcotics cop, ACP Khan (Vikas Kumar), reveals Tej was about to give him a USB with incriminating evidence against Aarya’s father and his shady business deals.
While he chases her for the pen drive, Shekhawat turns up demanding his stolen heroin. Now Aarya’s main concern is the safety of her kids which makes her step into the shoes of her husband and also wind up some unfinished business work.
Aarya is an adaptation of a Dutch show, Penzona. The makers did not indulge in any high-level drama but focused on the emotional consequences of death in a family and how to deal with the circumstances that have been created by the family legacy.
Sushmita brings grace and dignity to the role as Aarya. It’s a pleasure to see her perform as a sophisticated mother and wife and a drug transporter. Vikas Kumar, Maya Sarao, (Aarya’s close friend Maya and Jawahar’s wife), Chandrachur Singh, Sikander Kher (Aarya’s father’s right-hand man Daulat), Vishwajeet Pradhan (Shekhawat’s henchman Sampat) and Namit Das have done justice to their roles. They have helped Sushmita’s character evolve. The various shades of Sushmita are a treat for both the audience and her fans.