Aarya Season 2 Review: Aarya is based on the Dutch series Penoza, but we just can't discount the vibes of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul in there. No, we don't mean that Ram Madhvani's web-series is lifted from these acclaimed shows, but we can't help but be reminded of them thanks the kind of situational traps that its eponymous, troubled protagonist finds herself in throughout the series, where every victory is followed by a reason to worry. In one scene, Aarya and her sons dancing  in joy to a yesteryear song is spliced with the sequence of her brother being hounded by goons. That's how grim it is! Sushmita Sen on Aarya 2: I’ve Fallen Very Passionately in Love With the Art of Filmmaking Again After a Long Time.

The second season pushes Aarya (Sushmita Sen) further into the wringer. She and her kids has gone into hiding in Australia, after leading to the arrest of her father Zorawar (Jayant Kripalani), brother Sangram (Ankur Bhatia) for their criminal activities and for getting her husband (Chandrachur Singh) killed. But their exile doesn't stay long, as the investigating cop Khan (Vikas Kumar) coaxes her to return to India and depose as witness against her father and brother. Things doesn't go as planned, as Aarya sees further attacks on her life, and realises that she truly has to accept her dark side to keep her family safe.

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Without the need to set up the characters and focusing more on Aarya's perilous dilemma, the new season starts off slow but steady enough. The proceedings are pretty low-key as the showrunners dial down the need to throw twists on the screen. Pace picks up after the attack on a crucial character around Aarya, and it gets better when Aarya finds her footing in the face of the new crisis. Saying more about the season would mean delving into SPOILER territory, but we totally loved it when Sushmita Sen goes on badass mode. The way those scenes are shot would have elicited claps and whistles if they were shown on the big screen. The direction makes things tighter, though the writing falters in some places, often falling in predictable territory. Aarya 2: Ankur Bhatia on Working With Sushmita Sen, Series’ Emmys Nomination and More.

Speaking of the performances, Sushmita Sen IS Aarya, totally owning up the badassery and vulnerability of the lead character. Among the supporting cast, Vikas Kumar as the conflicted cop, Ankur Bhatia as Aarya's brash brother and Sikander Kher as Aarya's dicey bodyguard stand out.

Yay!

- Sushmita Sen!!!

- The Direction

Nay!

- Slower Than The First Season But Picks Up Pace Later

Final Thoughts

Aarya Season 2 continues to be a banger of a crime series, with a top-notch performance from its lead star. The series is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.

Rating:3.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 10, 2021 09:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).