Sushmita Sen on her comeback in Aarya: 'It took me a decade to find a role like this to sink into'

Sushmita Sen has promised an incredible comeback with her digital debut in her upcoming web series Aarya after staying away from the spotlight for over a decade. The trailer of the show was released on Friday, sharing a glimpse into a tale of family, love, crime and redemption. Sushmita plays the protagonist Aarya.

Shedding some light on its storyline, Sushmita said that the show narrates the story of a mother who is willing to go to any length to protect her children.

"Aarya represents strength, determination and above all vulnerability in a world full of crime, a world run by men. For me, personally, it is the story of family, betrayal and a mother who is willing to go to any length to protect her children," Sushmita Sen said.

"It took me a decade to find a role like this to sink into and I'm thrilled to be a part of this incredible story. I am thankful to Ram Madhvani and his team for giving me the role of a lifetime," she added.

The show, by Neerja fame filmmaker Ram Madhvani, also stars Chandrachur Singh as Aarya's husband, who is involved in an illegal narcotics business.

Talking about his return to acting, Chandrachur said, "The beauty of digital content is that there is a brave new form of storytelling and I am beyond exhilarated to make my debut with this show. The level of tension and intensity fuelled by several plot twists and a mystery at its very core will keep the viewers guessing."

"Aarya" delves into how organised crime and betrayal runs deep in a family. The trailer starts by showing Aarya as a loving wife and doting mother, and how she is pulled into the narcotics business when her family is threatened.

"Aarya" is an official adaptation of popular Dutch crime-drama "Penoza". The show is written by Sandeep Srivastav and Anu Singh Choudhary, and also features Namit Das, Sikandar Kher, Jayant Kripalani, Sohaila Kapoor, Sugandha Garg, Maya Sareen, Vishwajeet Pradhan and Manish Chaudhary.

For Ram Madhvani, the world of "Aarya" is a complex web of emotions, twisted family bonds and betrayal.

"It is a bold and strong narrative that takes it beyond the spectrum of a crime drama. Every character has a purpose in Aarya's journey as she goes from being a homemaker to a hardened criminal. I spent many years trying to build this world brick by brick but I didn't do it alone -- 588 others from the cast and crew have built this show from the ground up," said Madhvani, who has backed the project with his banner, RMF (Ram Madhvani Films).

Co-produced by Endemol Shine, the series will release on June 19 on Disney+ Hotstar VIP.