Aarya is a Hotstar Special Series starring Sushmita Sen, Chandrachur Singh and Namit Das in the lead roles. It is based on the Dutch series Penoza and revolves around themes of organised crime and drug trade. 

Tej (Chandrachur Singh) and his wife Aarya (Sushmita Sen) are a picture perfect family. Or at least that’s the illusion we get to see from the first moment.

There’s no hiding the fact that Tej is involved in illegal drug trade with his wife’s brother Sangram (Ankur Bhatia) and their family friend Jawahar (Namit Das). But they have plans to exit the business soon and start their life in another country, far from home. 

Aarya is preparing for her younger sister’s wedding but Aarya's mother refuses to attend because of her relationship with her husband, Aarya's father. He has a new, scandalously young girlfriend which is a source of anger for the former matriarch.

If you ask me, the young mistress and arrogant first wife angle is rather overused and doesn’t bring anything new to the table.

Distressed with the conversation she has with her mother, Aarya is already feeling overwhelmed when she finds out her youngest son - a victim of bullying - took his father’s gun to the school and wrecked havoc all over the campus. After this shocking development, Aarya apologises to the school authorities who view this incident with the gravity it deserves.

In a different part of the city, Tej, Jawahar and Sangram are engaged in dangerous and violent activities of their own. They want to defy a rival drug cartel and raid their distribution system. Well actually, Tej is against the idea because he wants to lead an honest life and keep his head down. His only aim now is to move his family to New Zealand, away from the world of crime.

The episode attempts to introduce all the subplots that could potentially be used later but somehow it still feels a little slow paced. One could say that the directors struggle to balance the “happy family” and the “violent work” life at the same time.

At the end of the day, of course, the transition once again takes us back home where wedding rituals are in full swing. Tej and Aarya decide they will run away with their family soon enough. But the peace is disrupted when Tej and Jawahar get into a fight and Jawahar threatens to kill Tej. Sangram is arrested, when he decides to run some last minute errands, for possession of illicit substances.

Aarya breaks up the fight, apologises to the guests and controls the situation.

However, the celebrations don’t last long when Tej gets shot later at his own house, in front of his youngest son. Tej is rushed to the hospital and the episode ends on a high note.

2.5/5