Sushmita Sen was ecstatic to work in 'Aarya' right from the first day: Director Ram Madhvani (Exclusive)

Ace filmmaker Ram Madhvani has given Bollywood some of the best films that have not only touched our hearts but also gave a new perspective to the Indian cinema. Known for his cinematic excellence, the director doesn't indulge in making commercial masala filmi movies, rather focuses on human emotions, family values with truth being at the core.

One of the most-loved films of Madhvani is Sonam Kapoor starrer Neerja that still holds a lot of value in the minds of the audience and critics even now. Keeping up with the trend, the director is now making his digital debut with family thriller 'Aarya' with Sushmita Sen and Chandrachur Singh. Ever since the trailer of the series has dropped, fans are going gaga over the cinematic brilliance that Ram has shown on the screen. Keeping the Indian audience in mind, Aarya is a Hindi adaptation of the Dutch series Penoza.

In an exclusive conversation with International Business Times India, Ram Madhvani spoke at length about coming back after a hiatus with Aarya and making his web debut, what makes him bring Sushmita Sen and Chandrachur Singh on board and why he would love to foray into comedy now!

Edited excerpts from the interview:

On coming back after a sabbatical with 'Aarya',

I waited for nine years for this show to happen. Yes, there were obstacles but as it is said there is always a right time for everything, the universe conspired and things started to move slowly and steadily. Speaking about the series, he said that 'Aarya' is not a crime thriller, it is about family and the embroiled relationships. As you saw in Neerja also it was not a hijack film. It was a mother-daughter film, about parents, about children, about a mother overcoming the loss of her daughter. For me relationships matter the most. I didn't want to make Aarya an out and out action-oriented series. When you will watch these series you will know that every character is layered.

On Sushmita Sen and Chandrachur Singh coming on board,

I wanted someone as fierce as Sushmita to essay the role of Aarya and now after completion of the series, I can proudly say that no one better than her could have done it. I have worked with Sushmita earlier and had asked her if she would be interested in taking up this role and I was bowled over by her enthusiasm, she was so ecstatic to work right from the very first day.

On the other hand, Chandrachur comes across as a very family person, and I wanted someone to play that role with utmost conviction. Like I said it's not a crime show its a family show. So having him as Sushmita's husband was a perfect cast.

On 'Aarya' adapted from a Dutch series 'Penoza',

Yes, it is an adaptation from a Dutch series but it not copied. There are a lot of twists and turns and Indianness in the series for our audiences.

On OTT taking over the theatre,

Needless to say, at this given hour OTT is booming. I am glad that there are new releases that are happening on the web. Having said that, one must not forget that at the end of the day we all will want and love to go to cinema halls. There is a certain amount of happiness to watch a film on a big screen.

On upcoming projects,

After a gamut of emotional films, I would love to foray into comedy now.

 Directed by Ram Madhvani, 'Aarya' has an ensemble star cast comprising of Sushmita Sen, Chandrachur Singh, Namit Das, Sikander Kher, and Manish Chaudhary among others. The series will stream on Disney + Hotstar from June 19, 2020.