Crime series Aarya 3 is trending at No. 3 in Disney+ Hotstar’s Top 10 in India category two weeks into its release, perhaps for Sushmita Sen’s compelling performance making up for the lack of strong writing that marked the first two seasons.
In Season 3 of the show created by Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi, Sushmita’s Aarya undergoes a complete transformation, evolving from a mother frightened for her children’s safety to a powerful and dreaded mafia queen. This shift, combined with the introduction of new adversaries such as Sooraj (Indraneil Sengupta) and Nalini Sahiba (Ila Arun), adds intensity to the drama.
The story picks up where Season 2 left off, with Aarya taking control of her late husband’s drug trade. Now a feared figure, she is depicted in black, smoking a cigar and surveying her dominion. Aarya is up against new challenges this season. Sooraj is baying for her blood to avenge his wife’s murder, while Nalini Sahiba, a seasoned don with a devoted group of henchmen, proves to be a formidable adversary.
At the core of this season, though, is the protagonist’s struggle to shield her children from the darkness within herself while she descends further into it. Grappling with her inner turmoil, Aarya fully embraces her darker side and uses the effect her personality has on others. Aarya’s elder son, Veer, confronts her on this and while she increasingly shows her capacity to be extremely ruthless and violent, the creators manage to evoke empathy for Aarya — as a worried mother determined to secure a safer future for her children.
Where Season 3 slips up is in its inability to sustain the momentum of the first two seasons. What started off as a lone woman’s grief and fight for survival after being exposed to the dangerous world of drug lords has now become an endless loop of repetitive conflicts and showdowns between two or more warring factions. The emotional roller coaster that once defined the series is traded for dramatic eliminations of characters, which doesn’t have the same impact. The illegal opium trade, which served as a central theme in the previous two seasons, also fails to hold the tension.
The introduction of new characters brings a fresh dynamic to the narrative in Season 3. Indraneil Sengupta’s Sooraj is calm but deceitful and threatening in no time. Ila Arun as Nalini exudes regal composure and a subtle menace. But they are not a patch on Sushmita’s towering presence as Aarya. As a grieving widow and protective mother who has tasted power and is now consumed by it, Sushmita’s transition is both authentic and compelling. She radiates authority and owns every inch of the frame.
