It has been more than a month since I have reviewed any web series. And so I did get an opportunity to watch and review the web series that has released this week, Aarya, which is the comeback vehicle of Sushmita Sen. Also it is an official remake of the Dutch web series, Penoza. Now, I haven’t watched that so this review will be free of any comparisons. So lets dive in..

Aarya is the story of, yes you guessed it, Aarya whose world turns on its head when her husband is attacked one day. This incident though opens a can of worms that changes her equation with everyone around her. The story is interesting. The screenplay is a slow burn. To set things to perspective, there are 9 episodes of almost 50 minutes each. Now, that is indeed a long web series which could have been reduced to an 8 episode 45 minute each series at be. Yet, the storytelling style is compelling and if treated like a family drama, you will enjoy it. Make no mistake this is a whodunit too, but you will be able to guess it from a mile away and something that could have been handled better when the big reveal finally happens. It ends in a whimper to say the lea. But, it is Aarya’s journey and the motive of the characters around her that really keep you invested. Each character potentially keeps changing its colour and that is what makes things interesting. The dialogues are pretty good. The use of music and some of the old songs and shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita are very well incorporated and it just adds a layer of freshness to the drama. The director’s chair is shared by not one, not two but three directors. Ram Madhvani (be known for Neerja), Vinod Rawat and Sandeep Modi all have done an excellent job with the direction though they could have worked a bit of the thrill element which was missing throughout.

The performance deserves an applause here. Chandrachur Singh as Tej (a sort of comeback for him too) picks up from where he had started. So effortless, so charming and a treat to watch. You really wish to see more of him going forward. Namit Das as Jawahar is underrated and here he does an excellent job too. Sikandar Kher as Daulat is fir rate and aptly cast here. Ankur Bhatia as Sangram and Sugandha Garg as Hina both have their moments to shine. Maya Sarao(la seen in Thappad) is such a fine actress and she displays her conflict with ease! Vikas Kumar as ACP Khan is wonderful and again another actor you want more of. Manish Chaudhary as Shekhawat has a bit of a swag associated with his character. Jayant Kripalani as Zorawar and Flora Saini as Rads are pretty good! Alex O’Neil as Bob is outstanding. The three siblings Adi, Aru and Veer played by Pratyaksh Panwar, Virti Vaghani and Viren Vazirani are like a breath of fresh air and add a lot of freshness to the drama. A special mention of Vishwajeet Pradhan who is excellent as Shekhawat’s right hand henchman. Which finally brings me to Sushmita Sen as Aarya. What an amazing comeback!! Such a dignified and effortless performance. Such a natural. Every time she says ‘Jaan’ or ‘Bachcha’ your heart melts. And she gives a towering performance for the ages!!! Hope to now see a lot more of her!! And btw cannot not talk about her looks – she is drop dead gorgeous!!! Reserving one whole star for her!

Aarya may not be the be series to come out of India but it is a good watch despite it being a tad too long. Watch it for the towering performance of Sushmita Sen, you will absolutely fall in love with her and her character! Available on Disney Hotstar!!