Aarya: Season 2

In the initial bits of the second season of Ram Madhvani’s Aarya, one could sense a little bit of a forced feel to the way everything is happening. But as soon as Aarya gets involved in the procedure, the screenplay manages to get that rhythm of the first season. Post that, the series becomes constantly engaging, with power dynamics frequently changing without being filmy.

The last season ended with Aarya’s father and brother being sent to jail for the drug cartel operation. Shekhawat’s family wants to take revenge on her for his death. And the Russians are also behind the lost consignment. In season 2, Aarya is forced to come back to India as the police wanted her to testify to prove the authenticity of the Pendrive she gave them. How that return to India changes the whole scenario for Aarya and everyone in the frame is what we see in Aarya season 2.

As I said, in the initial bits, you tend to feel that this season will be full of hectic violence. The reason why the first season of Aarya worked for me was the way they added layers to that character. You see her as a charming wife, caring mother, responsible daughter, and a good friend. These attributes are given to her through moments in the series. Here also, that humanizing track is pretty much there. And you get to see the evolution of the characters. The trauma Aadi and Aru go through is portrayed in an affecting way, and Madhvani makes sure that there is enough to make us root for that family.

The ability of the writing to spread into characters is what makes Aarya a compelling watch. The deviations we see from the primary track are mainly used to better understand a particular character. Maya’s present life, Khan’s relationship, Aru’s medication, Hina’s emotional trauma, etc., might have minimal screen time. Still, those characters stay with you for some reason. Madhvani and his writers are not trying to create a good versus evil scenario. At one point, Sampath shows his human side by saving the life of someone who mattered to his boss’s enemy.

Madhvani uses those tight frames with contrasting lighting to maintain the narrative’s intensity. He is not trying to make Aarya some kind of Godfather figure. Yes, eventually, we see her attaining a similar status. But as the character says in the series, she feels more like a working mother. I liked how they tweaked the predictability. At a very early point in the second season, we are given a hint about a major reveal. The placement of that reveal was so smart, and it helped the final moments of the season have that surprise factor.

Sushmita Sen as Aarya once again delivers a terrific performance. There are multiple emotional attires to this character. She is the kind of strong woman who isn’t presented through swagger. And Sushmita uses that empathetic mummy charm to make us root for Aarya. Ankur Bhatia as Sangram was good. Sugandha Garg was brilliant as Hina, especially in that funeral sequence. Maya Sarao was memorable in her role. Virti Vaghani depicted the suffering of Aru neatly on the screen. Vikas Kumar as ACP Khan and Vishwajeet Pradhan as Sampat also delivered impressive performances this season.

Aarya: Season 2 from Ram Madhvani yet again manages to be an engrossing thriller. The story smartly navigates the character of Aarya into the center of all the drama through developments that feel organic. With new characters coming into the picture and a lot of the relationship dynamic going through a 180-degree shift, the upcoming season looks well-poised and exciting.