How 'Aarya' gave Sushmita the role she deserved

Sushmita Sen was expected to rule Bollywood after she became the first Indian to be crowned the Miss Universe in 1994. Her intensity on-screen felt fresh yet the lanky actor never featured in roles that suited her strengths.

It was a rough start with duds like Mahesh Bhatt's 'Dastak' (1996) and the Tamil flick 'Ratchagan' (1997) before David Dhawan's 'Biwi No.1' gave her a big break. One expected Sushmita to soar higher from there but her career flattered to deceive with efforts in 'Aankhen' (1993), 'Main Hoon Na' (2004), and 'Maine Pyar Kyun Kya' (2005) being the saving grace.

Sushmita is glamorous with a sense of style. The directors, in the early 2000s, were happy casting her in special dance numbers. 'Shakalaka Baby' in 'Mudhalvan' (1999) and 'Mehboob Mere' from 'Fiza' (2000), are evergreen hits with the stunning-looking actor doing full justice to the songs' terrific energy.

A break from Bollywood for parenting was followed by traumatic years fighting Addison's disease. A strong comeback looked improbable before the crime thriller 'Aarya' on Disney+Hotstar breathed a new life into her career.

Initially planned as a film, creator Ram Madhvani decided to make this as a web series when the budget grew bigger than predicted. Based on the Dutch crime series 'Penoza', 'Aarya' is about how far an independent woman can go to protect her children and avenge the death of her husband.

The first season received rave reviews and the follow-up has lived up to expectations as well despite flaws. The pacing is an issue in the second season. On the flip side, it ensures neat narration with messy interruptions. The creators have focused on building the personalities of the characters and once you show patience, the show gets compelling as it progresses.

Even if Sushmita is the standout performer, 'Aarya' isn't a one-man show from her as Ankur Bhatia, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Sugandha Garg, and Viren Vazirani deserve a shout out for adding weight to the character-driven plot.

Sushmita's essaying of the titular character is another example of how actors shine when creators break free from conventional writing. The OTT space has encouraged creators to be daring and Sushmita justifies the casting by bringing alive different dimensions of her character.

Her gripping performance in dark moments of the series stays with you. It's enjoyable to see her execute action sequences with panache. The role tests the capacity of the actor and she excels in being a caring mother and dashing woman. One hopes there are enough such complex roles for the actor to explore in the streaming world.