Title: Aarya Antim Vaar
Directors: Kapil Sharma, Shraddha Pasi Jairath, Ram Madhvani
Cast: Sushmita Sen, Ila Arun, Sikander Kher, Vikas Kumar, Vishwajeet Pradhan,
Where: Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
Rating: 3.5 stars
This review of Aarya Antim Vaar or Season 3 of the crime thriller, is based on episode numbers five to eight.
Told in a non-linear manner, Episode 5, titled, ‘Sherni Ke Shikar Ka Waqt Aa Gaya Hai,’ which means, ‘It’s time to hunt the Tigress,’ begins with a bait. We see a brutally wounded Aarya (Sushmita Sen) holding her mobile phone to her ear. A voiceover that tells us, “This may be the mid-point of the story or…” We hear a gunshot. Hit by a bullet, Aarya falls sprawled on the floor, and the narrator continues, “This may be the end of the story.”
This less than 15-second scene is enough to hook you on. The narrative then rewinds two weeks earlier to tell us how and why Aarya- was shot.
For those not initiated into the series, Aarya Sareen (Sushmita Sen) is just a working mother, roped into the criminal world due to her family connection. She is trapped- in a twisted game of survival. To keep her children safe, she fights and conspires against the forces, especially the drug cartel, the police, and the Child Welfare Officer.
How she single-handedly struggles to keep her kids and near and dear ones together while running her “business” forms the ongoing crux of the episodes.
The episodes are packed with dodgy deals, violent threats, and double-crosses. There are also gun and sword fights.
Loyalty plays a very significant role in the lives of those involved. Thus, the sixth episode titled, ‘Khabri Ki Saaza Maut’ (The Punishment for the Informer is Death) brings to the fore the rules of the underworld. The episodes that follow are ‘Aarya Sareen Is An Unfit Mother’, and ‘Paanje Nikalne Ka Waqt Aa Gaya’ (The Time Has Come To Get The Claws Out).
Adapted from the Dutch Series Penoza, the writing by Amit Raj, Khushboo Raj, and Anu Singh Choudhury stands out for the meticulous attention to detailing the story. The characters are well-defined, and the scenes are focused, taut, and intense. There is not a moment of liberty taken or digression in the storytelling.
Aarya is Sushmita Sen’s canvas, and she does full justice to her role. Her interactions with the other characters are both fascinating and disturbing. Her demeanour on screen is palpable as she adds a lay of psychological depth to the narrative, especially in episode seven when she has a showdown with the Child Welfare Officer.
She is aptly supported by ace actors who slip into their characters with natural grace. Among the cast are Viren Vazirani, Virti Vaghani, and Pratyaksh Panwar, who portray Aarya’s children Veen, Arundhati, and Aditya. Ila Arun essays Nalini, a Royal from Rajasthan, Vikas Kumar portrays ACP Younus Khan, and Sikander Kher plays Daulat, Aarya’s handyman.
The song ‘Bade Achhe Lagte Hain’ oft played along with other numbers as background score to uplift the scenes.
Overall, the episodes are engaging and end on a cliffhanger, ensuring you look forward to the next season.
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