*The review is based on the first four episodes of the second season

After making us wait for 2 years, Amazon Prime's 'Breathe' is back with its second season! 'Breathe: Into the Shadows' marks the digital debut of both its lead characters. Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan steps into the OTT space, following the footsteps of many in the film industry. It also marks the digital debut of Malayalam actress Nithya Menen who was last seen in 'Mission Mangal,' which was also her debut in Bollywood. Mayank Sharma once again returns as the director of the show and the episodes are approximately 40 minutes long.&nbsp;

The plot is summed up by the show's tagline- “a father’s love can save a life.. or take one." Someone has kidnapped Dr. Avinash (Abhishek Bachchan) and Abha's (Nitya Menon) 6-year-old daughter-Siya. Their daughter is also a juvenile diabetic patient and needs insulin injections four times a day. After establishing no contact for almost 9 months, the kidnapper starts sending puzzling messages, asking the couple to execute some killings to save their daughter. One thing which really stood out in the narrative was that unlike the cliche roles we are used to seeing, here both Avinash and Abha were truly equal partners in crime. From figuring out the cryptic messages to planning the killing and even executing them, 'Breathe S2' is never a one-man show.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On a parallel subplot, we get to see Kabir Sawant (Amit Sadh), who reprises his role from the previous season as a police officer. Unlike the last time, he is no longer seen with an alcohol bottle in every other frame and has taken a transfer from the Mumbai Crime Branch to Delhi. The first appearance of the character is in jail, leaving us all in shock.&nbsp;

For the creators, it is always more challenging to impress the audience with the second season. The task becomes even harder when the previous one was appreciated by the audience. Which explains why 'Breathe season 2'&nbsp;falls under the cracks. From the first few episodes, one would realise that the 'wow factor' was blisteringly lacking.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The show's biggest enemy was&nbsp;its expectation. In case you haven't seen the first season, you might just get more impressed.

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For starters let's talk about the characters. I felt that the characters of Avinash and Abha could have been explored much more. Other than the average acting, the plot rushed into the narration of events rather than displaying their emotions when the scenes demanded. For instance, as a viewer when the couple found out that their child was missing, one would have liked to see more of what they were feeling at that moment. Even the aspect of inner consciousness after each of the killings was just not impactful-&nbsp; maybe even missing. Honestly, there was no dialogue or scene which actually stays with the viewer after the episodes are over.

It was not only the emotional aspect that's missing, but even the mystery and suspense created is not that great. What the audience expects from a thriller are nail-biting scenes and gripping plot points but we bearly get to see any of that. In fact, the subplot of Kabir Sawant was much more interesting than the main one. Sadh's acting, his character's on the spot thinking and witty retorts were a pleasure to watch on screen. This season completely belongs to Amit Sandh, who saves this ship from sinking. Whatever little mystery and drama we get from the show is courtesy Kabir Sawant.

The narrative of the plot is more or less flat, with not-so-complicated or surprising twists and turns. They fail to keep you hooked on to the show. A part of the reason is that the killings and planning that went behind it, turn out to be extremely predictable. On the contrary, the first season boasted of clever and innovative writing, making Danny Mascarenhas' (Madhavan) next move&nbsp;unforeseeable. However, here that element in writing just seems to be missing.

At the end we are left with a few questions:&nbsp;

Who kidnapped Siya? Will she ever come back to her parents? How far will her parents go to save her? Is there any link between the killings?

Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the season picks up and gives us the psychological thriller we all signed up for.&nbsp;

*The review is based on the first four episodes of the second season After making us wait for 2 years, Amazon Prime's 'Breathe' is back with its second season! 'Breathe: Into the Shadows' marks the digital debut of both its lead characters.

*The review is based on the first four episodes of the second season After making us wait for 2 years, Amazon Prime's 'Breathe' is back with its second season! 'Breathe: Into the Shadows' marks the digital debut of both its lead characters. Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan steps into the OTT space, following the footsteps of many in the film industry. It also marks the digital debut of Malayalam actress Nithya Menen who was last seen in 'Mission Mangal,' which was also her debut in Bollywood. Mayank Sharma once again returns as the director of the show and the episodes are approximately 40 minutes long. The plot is summed up by the show's tagline- “a father’s love can save a life.. or take one." Someone has kidnapped Dr. Avinash (Abhishek Bachchan) and Abha's (Nitya Menon) 6-year-old daughter-Siya. Their daughter is also a juvenile diabetic patient and needs insulin injections four times a day. After establishing no contact for almost 9 months, the kidnapper starts sending puzzling messages, asking the couple to execute some killings to save their daughter. One thing which really stood out in the narrative was that unlike the cliche roles we are used to seeing, here both Avinash and Abha were truly equal partners in crime. From figuring out the cryptic messages to planning the killing and even executing them, 'Breathe S2' is never a one-man show. On a parallel subplot, we get to see Kabir Sawant (Amit Sadh), who reprises his role from the previous season as a police officer. Unlike the last time, he is no longer seen with an alcohol bottle in every other frame and has taken a transfer from the Mumbai Crime Branch to Delhi. The first appearance of the character is in jail, leaving us all in shock. For the creators, it is always more challenging to impress the audience with the second season. The task becomes even harder when the previous one was appreciated by the audience. Which explains why 'Breathe season 2' falls under the cracks. From the first few episodes, one would realise that the 'wow factor' was blisteringly lacking. The show's biggest enemy was its expectation. In case you haven't seen the first season, you might just get more impressed. For starters let's talk about the characters. I felt that the characters of Avinash and Abha could have been explored much more. Other than the average acting, the plot rushed into the narration of events rather than displaying their emotions when the scenes demanded. For instance, as a viewer when the couple found out that their child was missing, one would have liked to see more of what they were feeling at that moment. Even the aspect of inner consciousness after each of the killings was just not impactful- maybe even missing. Honestly, there was no dialogue or scene which actually stays with the viewer after the episodes are over. It was not only the emotional aspect that's missing, but even the mystery and suspense created is not that great. What the audience expects from a thriller are nail-biting scenes and gripping plot points but we bearly get to see any of that. In fact, the subplot of Kabir Sawant was much more interesting than the main one. Sadh's acting, his character's on the spot thinking and witty retorts were a pleasure to watch on screen. This season completely belongs to Amit Sandh, who saves this ship from sinking. Whatever little mystery and drama we get from the show is courtesy Kabir Sawant. The narrative of the plot is more or less flat, with not-so-complicated or surprising twists and turns. They fail to keep you hooked on to the show. A part of the reason is that the killings and planning that went behind it, turn out to be extremely predictable. On the contrary, the first season boasted of clever and innovative writing, making Danny Mascarenhas' (Madhavan) next move unforeseeable. However, here that element in writing just seems to be missing. At the end we are left with a few questions: Who kidnapped Siya? Will she ever come back to her parents? How far will her parents go to save her? Is there any link between the killings? Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that the season picks up and gives us the psychological thriller we all signed up for.

'Breathe S2' review: Abhishek Bachchan starrer crime thriller fails to take your breath away

Remember the evil witch’s obsession with fairness as she talks to the mirror in Snow White or Son Pari’s villain Kali Pari? Right from the shows we make our children watch to the filters we put in our photographs, the madness of looking fair is rooted very deep in our minds. Seems like this racial discrimination between fair and dark skin has been going on since the stone ages, it just refuses to budge! On the other hand, we have the beauty industry that plays on India's non-stop colour discrimination to get their profits to skyrocket.

Suddenly after years of giving us the definition of 'ideal beauty', FMCG brand HUL has announced that it will remove words such as ‘fair/fairness’, ‘white/whitening’, and ‘light/lightening’ from all its products and communications. More importantly its age-old product 'Fair and Lovely' will no longer include the word 'fair'.

Let me remind you that in India still many girls are rejected from jobs even after having the best resume because of dark skin. Even now women are judged not on the basis of their educational or professional qualifications but by their skin colour in dining room discussions. Still, it took HUL 45 years to finally wake up and understand the concept of &nbsp;'inclusive version of beauty'. Can the company erase years of discriminatory branding and advertisements by just a simple announcement? 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/loreal-to-drop-words-such-as-whitening-from-skin-products-308872">Also Read: L'Oreal to drop words such as 'whitening' from skin products</a> 
 
The answer is absolutely not. Just by removing one word from the name of the product doesn't change the fact that it still is a FAIRNESS product. Why should a product which just infuses inferiority complex be available in shops in the first place? Doesn't India already have a lot of colonial hangovers to deal with already? We don't need fairness products to reinforce our unsolicited obsession with fair skin.

The company can't just decide to take a U-turn from all its promotional strategies, especially the before and after advertisements. Its tried and tested method to tell the audience that just because the woman got 'fair' using the cream she got a job as a doctor and air hostess and even got married. The product will always be associated with providing a fair skin tone, nothing can change that, especially not a name change.

The memory of huge billboards of HUL's 'Fair and Lovely', showing a fair skin tone woman (who was mostly a Bollywood actress) and a woman of a dark skin tone at the back will always be the thing I remember the product by. HUL, the damage is done. The road to recovery will not be an easy one.

Honestly, the move might be a cover-up as well. With the already existing racial tensions and the Black Lives Matters protests across the world, it seemed like the easiest escape route for the brand before someone pinpointed what the cream actually stood for. But you know what the saddest part of all this is? It took the brand a racial uprising in the US to understand the troubles (or at least we hope so) of women living in India. Many would even call it a safety PR strategy. &nbsp; 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unilever-to-remove-whitening-and-fairness-shaadicom-removes-fairness-filter-308502">Also Read:&nbsp;Unilever to remove 'whitening' and 'fairness'; Shaadi.com removes fairness filter</a> 
&nbsp; 
Another point to put here is that it is not only HUL but many other beauty companies that promote the concept of good skin equals to fair skin. How often do we get to see a dark-skinned person selling a beauty product other than the times when we are told to pity them because of their complexion. Just like the size of the beauty industry, even its fairness products are not restricted to creams. You will find fairness cleanser, mist, moisturizer, sunscreen, serum...the list just goes on.

Some might say something is better than nothing right? Okay, it is good that HUL has finally woken up. BUT, this name change should not be the end to it. There is a lot of repair work that is expected out of this announcement.

While the company has set an example for others like L'Oréal to follow suit, it should just not stop at that. This should bring a change to the multi-billion dollar beauty industry as a whole. The way it ideates the products to the marketing and advertisement strategy. It's high time they realise that they should celebrate the diversity of beauty and stop this obsession with the fair skin tone.

Rebranding HUL's Fair and Lovely is a wait and watch game! Because it needs to tell the consumers what they should expect from a 'fairness' cream, if not providing a fair skin. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

Remember the evil witch’s obsession with fairness as she talks to the mirror in Snow White or Son Pari’s villain Kali Pari? Right from the shows we make our children watch to the filters we put in our photographs, the madness of looking fair is rooted very deep in our minds.

Remember the evil witch’s obsession with fairness as she talks to the mirror in Snow White or Son Pari’s villain Kali Pari? Right from the shows we make our children watch to the filters we put in our photographs, the madness of looking fair is rooted very deep in our minds. Seems like this racial discrimination between fair and dark skin has been going on since the stone ages, it just refuses to budge! On the other hand, we have the beauty industry that plays on India's non-stop colour discrimination to get their profits to skyrocket. Suddenly after years of giving us the definition of 'ideal beauty', FMCG brand HUL has announced that it will remove words such as ‘fair/fairness’, ‘white/whitening’, and ‘light/lightening’ from all its products and communications. More importantly its age-old product 'Fair and Lovely' will no longer include the word 'fair'. Let me remind you that in India still many girls are rejected from jobs even after having the best resume because of dark skin. Even now women are judged not on the basis of their educational or professional qualifications but by their skin colour in dining room discussions. Still, it took HUL 45 years to finally wake up and understand the concept of 'inclusive version of beauty'. Can the company erase years of discriminatory branding and advertisements by just a simple announcement? Also Read: L'Oreal to drop words such as 'whitening' from skin products The answer is absolutely not. Just by removing one word from the name of the product doesn't change the fact that it still is a FAIRNESS product. Why should a product which just infuses inferiority complex be available in shops in the first place? Doesn't India already have a lot of colonial hangovers to deal with already? We don't need fairness products to reinforce our unsolicited obsession with fair skin. The company can't just decide to take a U-turn from all its promotional strategies, especially the before and after advertisements. Its tried and tested method to tell the audience that just because the woman got 'fair' using the cream she got a job as a doctor and air hostess and even got married. The product will always be associated with providing a fair skin tone, nothing can change that, especially not a name change. The memory of huge billboards of HUL's 'Fair and Lovely', showing a fair skin tone woman (who was mostly a Bollywood actress) and a woman of a dark skin tone at the back will always be the thing I remember the product by. HUL, the damage is done. The road to recovery will not be an easy one. Honestly, the move might be a cover-up as well. With the already existing racial tensions and the Black Lives Matters protests across the world, it seemed like the easiest escape route for the brand before someone pinpointed what the cream actually stood for. But you know what the saddest part of all this is? It took the brand a racial uprising in the US to understand the troubles (or at least we hope so) of women living in India. Many would even call it a safety PR strategy. Also Read: Unilever to remove 'whitening' and 'fairness'; Shaadi.com removes fairness filter Another point to put here is that it is not only HUL but many other beauty companies that promote the concept of good skin equals to fair skin. How often do we get to see a dark-skinned person selling a beauty product other than the times when we are told to pity them because of their complexion. Just like the size of the beauty industry, even its fairness products are not restricted to creams. You will find fairness cleanser, mist, moisturizer, sunscreen, serum...the list just goes on. Some might say something is better than nothing right? Okay, it is good that HUL has finally woken up. BUT, this name change should not be the end to it. There is a lot of repair work that is expected out of this announcement. While the company has set an example for others like L'Oréal to follow suit, it should just not stop at that. This should bring a change to the multi-billion dollar beauty industry as a whole. The way it ideates the products to the marketing and advertisement strategy. It's high time they realise that they should celebrate the diversity of beauty and stop this obsession with the fair skin tone. Rebranding HUL's Fair and Lovely is a wait and watch game! Because it needs to tell the consumers what they should expect from a 'fairness' cream, if not providing a fair skin. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

It took a brand 45 years to understand that everything fair is not lovely!

'Aarya' is the mixture of a crime thriller and an emotional drama that always keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats. This web show has been the talk of the town, because of the return of Bollywood's evergreen Queen B Sushmita Sen. From Naseeruddin Shah to Madhavan this trend of comebacks on OTT platforms has been going on since a very long time. We can't tell you how much we missed the elegant and always convincing power-packed performances of Sushmita Sen on screen. Along with her, we get to see the comeback of actor Chandrachur Singh who vanished into thin air many years ago. The show is an official adaptation of Dutch series Penoza which many of us might not have heard of before.

&nbsp;

'Aarya' has Sushmita Sen written all over it, in fact, the title of the film is the name of her character. Set in Rajasthan, the show is the journey of Aarya, who struggles to clean the mess left by her husband, fending off a rival drug mafia in order to keep her children safe.

The calm before the storm: Aarya's husband Tej Sareen (Chandrachur Singh) runs Aryasatva Pharmaceuticals, which is just a front for a secret illegal business of transporting medical drugs with a large quantity of opium across the Indian border. With all his contacts and bribes in various checkpoints in place, Tej's business was going smooth and away from the radar of police. However, the matter goes out of hand when he, along with his partners in business and crime, friend Jawahar (Namit Das) and brother-in-law Sangram (Ankur Bhatia) decide to take the business to next level. The trio steals feared drug mafia Shekawat's (Manish Choudhary) 300 crore consignment of narcotics and all hell breaks loose. While Tej gets shot, Sangram lands up in jail and Jawahar struggles to find a way through this mess. This event causes a domino effect on&nbsp;Aarya's whole family and&nbsp;the family business.

Directed by Ram Madhvani, Sandeep Modi and Vinod Rawat, the web show has 9 episodes of around 50 minutes each. We get to see Sushmita Sen's character develop from a person who willingly stays away from the family business to someone who calls all the shots because of unforeseen circumstances to keep her children safe. Each episode of the show ends in a cliff hanger, increasing the urge to binge-watch this crime thriller with a gripping storyline. The writers of the show Sandeep Shrivastava and Anu Singh Choudhary make sure the viewers never stop their guessing game, by adding new twists and turns to the plot every episode.

The music of the show adds to the thriller element, it blends perfectly well with the scenes and never gets unnecessary and overpowering. We also see the use of old Hindi songs such as 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain', 'Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana' and 'Aaiye Meherbaan' to show different moods during the narrative. &nbsp;

Although Aarya seems like a show made just for Sushmita Sen's comeback, it would not have been executed half as well without its other cast members' solid performances, whose subplots add more depth into the narrative of the show. ACP Khan (Vikas Kumar) of the Narcotics Enforcement Bureau plays a brilliant role as a cop who is chasing Aarya and her family to find a loose end and bust their seemingly shady business. Aarya's children Aditya, Veer and Arundati provide good performances, portraying naive kids trying to make sense and come to terms with the reality of their family.

There are a few things that could have been executed slightly differently in the show. For starters the length, it surely is a big commitment to invest 9 hours into this crime thriller. Even though the narrative is not flat, it does get a bit stretched in between the episodes, especially the latter half of the show. Aarya tends to deviate from the main plot of who shot Tej, with going far too deep into stories of other characters. At some points, you ask yourself, was that scene actually necessary? Adding too many characters and subplots also led to holes in the main plotline.

Even though everyone was aware that someone tried to kill Tej, why was there no security outside Aarya's house to protect her and the children? Aarya did stop the children from going to school once, but what about the other days? Where did Aarya's mother disappear after the first few episodes? Maybe all these could have been avoided with a tighter script. It takes far too long to reach to the killers of Tej Sareen and does drag towards the end.

Apart from these flaws, watch Aarya to see Sushmita Sen back in action on screen, as she lifts this mediocre crime thriller to another level.

'Aarya' is the mixture of a crime thriller and an emotional drama that always keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats. This web show has been the talk of the town, because of the return of Bollywood's evergreen Queen B Sushmita Sen.

'Aarya' is the mixture of a crime thriller and an emotional drama that always keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats. This web show has been the talk of the town, because of the return of Bollywood's evergreen Queen B Sushmita Sen. From Naseeruddin Shah to Madhavan this trend of comebacks on OTT platforms has been going on since a very long time. We can't tell you how much we missed the elegant and always convincing power-packed performances of Sushmita Sen on screen. Along with her, we get to see the comeback of actor Chandrachur Singh who vanished into thin air many years ago. The show is an official adaptation of Dutch series Penoza which many of us might not have heard of before. 'Aarya' has Sushmita Sen written all over it, in fact, the title of the film is the name of her character. Set in Rajasthan, the show is the journey of Aarya, who struggles to clean the mess left by her husband, fending off a rival drug mafia in order to keep her children safe. The calm before the storm: Aarya's husband Tej Sareen (Chandrachur Singh) runs Aryasatva Pharmaceuticals, which is just a front for a secret illegal business of transporting medical drugs with a large quantity of opium across the Indian border. With all his contacts and bribes in various checkpoints in place, Tej's business was going smooth and away from the radar of police. However, the matter goes out of hand when he, along with his partners in business and crime, friend Jawahar (Namit Das) and brother-in-law Sangram (Ankur Bhatia) decide to take the business to next level. The trio steals feared drug mafia Shekawat's (Manish Choudhary) 300 crore consignment of narcotics and all hell breaks loose. While Tej gets shot, Sangram lands up in jail and Jawahar struggles to find a way through this mess. This event causes a domino effect on Aarya's whole family and the family business. Directed by Ram Madhvani, Sandeep Modi and Vinod Rawat, the web show has 9 episodes of around 50 minutes each. We get to see Sushmita Sen's character develop from a person who willingly stays away from the family business to someone who calls all the shots because of unforeseen circumstances to keep her children safe. Each episode of the show ends in a cliff hanger, increasing the urge to binge-watch this crime thriller with a gripping storyline. The writers of the show Sandeep Shrivastava and Anu Singh Choudhary make sure the viewers never stop their guessing game, by adding new twists and turns to the plot every episode. The music of the show adds to the thriller element, it blends perfectly well with the scenes and never gets unnecessary and overpowering. We also see the use of old Hindi songs such as 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain', 'Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana' and 'Aaiye Meherbaan' to show different moods during the narrative. Although Aarya seems like a show made just for Sushmita Sen's comeback, it would not have been executed half as well without its other cast members' solid performances, whose subplots add more depth into the narrative of the show. ACP Khan (Vikas Kumar) of the Narcotics Enforcement Bureau plays a brilliant role as a cop who is chasing Aarya and her family to find a loose end and bust their seemingly shady business. Aarya's children Aditya, Veer and Arundati provide good performances, portraying naive kids trying to make sense and come to terms with the reality of their family. There are a few things that could have been executed slightly differently in the show. For starters the length, it surely is a big commitment to invest 9 hours into this crime thriller. Even though the narrative is not flat, it does get a bit stretched in between the episodes, especially the latter half of the show. Aarya tends to deviate from the main plot of who shot Tej, with going far too deep into stories of other characters. At some points, you ask yourself, was that scene actually necessary? Adding too many characters and subplots also led to holes in the main plotline. Even though everyone was aware that someone tried to kill Tej, why was there no security outside Aarya's house to protect her and the children? Aarya did stop the children from going to school once, but what about the other days? Where did Aarya's mother disappear after the first few episodes? Maybe all these could have been avoided with a tighter script. It takes far too long to reach to the killers of Tej Sareen and does drag towards the end. Apart from these flaws, watch Aarya to see Sushmita Sen back in action on screen, as she lifts this mediocre crime thriller to another level.

'Aarya' Review: Sushmita Sen shines in an otherwise drawn-out crime thriller

'Aarya' is the mixture of a crime thriller and an emotional drama that always keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats. This web show has been the talk of the town, because of the return of Bollywood's evergreen Queen B Sushmita Sen. From Naseeruddin Shah to Madhavan this trend of comebacks on OTT platforms has been going on since a very long time. We can't tell you how much we missed the elegant and always convincing power-packed performances of Sushmita Sen on screen. Along with her, we get to see the comeback of actor Chandrachur Singh, who vanished into thin air many years ago. The show is an official adaptation of Dutch series Penoza which many of us might not have heard of before.

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'Aarya' has Sushmita Sen written all over it, in fact, the title of the film is the name of her character. Set in Rajasthan, the show is the journey of Aarya, who struggles to clean the mess left by her husband, fending off a rival drug mafia in order to keep her children safe.
<img alt="'Aarya' has Sushmita Sen written all over it" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5567db7b-f843-4091-b938-395fc24a4ac6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Webp.net-resizeimage%20copy.jpg" />
The calm before the storm: Aarya's husband Tej Sareen (Chandrachur Singh) runs Aaryasattava Pharmaceuticals, which is just a front for a secret illegal business of transporting medical drugs with a large quantity of opium across the Indian border. With all his contacts and bribes in various checkpoints in place, Tej's business was going smooth and away from the radar of police. However, the matter goes out of hand when he, along with his partners in business and crime, friend Jawahar (Namit Das) and brother-in-law Sangram (Ankur Bhatia) decide to take the business to next level. The trio steals feared drug mafia Shekawat's (Manish Choudhary) 300 crore consignment of narcotics and all hell breaks loose. While Tej gets shot, Sangram lands up in jail and Jawahar struggles to find a way through this mess. This event causes a domino effect on&nbsp;Aarya's whole family and&nbsp;the family business.

Directed by Ram Madhvani, Sandeep Modi and Vinod Rawat, the web show has 9 episodes of around 50 minutes each. We get to see Sushmita Sen's character develop from a person who willingly stays away from the family business to someone who calls all the shots because of unforeseen circumstances to keep her children safe. Each episode of the show ends in a cliff hanger, increasing the urge to binge-watch this crime thriller with a gripping storyline. The writers of the show Sandeep Shrivastava and Anu Singh Choudhary make sure the viewers never stop their guessing game, by adding new twists and turns to the plot every episode.
<img alt="Sushmita Sen's character develop from a person who willingly stays away from the family business to someone who calls all the shots" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b5ff10f2-dcd4-4715-bf01-bcfc89be976c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Webp.net-resizeimage%20copy%202.jpg" />
The music of the show adds to the thriller element, it blends perfectly well with the scenes and never gets unnecessary and overpowering. We also see the use of old Hindi songs such as 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain', 'Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana' and 'Aaiye Meherbaan' to show different moods during the narrative. &nbsp;

Although Aarya seems like a show made just for Sushmita Sen's comeback, it would not have been executed half as well without its other cast members' solid performances, whose subplots add more depth into the narrative of the show. ACP Khan (Vikas Kumar) of the Narcotics Enforcement Bureau plays a brilliant role as a cop who is chasing Aarya and her family to find a loose end and bust their seemingly shady business. Aarya's children Aditya, Veer and Arundati provide good performances, portraying naive kids trying to make sense and come to terms with the reality of their family.

There are a few things that could have been executed slightly differently in the show. For starters the length, it surely is a big commitment to invest 9 hours into this crime thriller. Even though the narrative is not flat, it does get a bit stretched in between the episodes, especially the latter half of the show. Aarya tends to deviate from the main plot of who shot Tej, with going far too deep into stories of other characters. At some points, you ask yourself, was that scene actually necessary? Adding too many characters and subplots also led to holes in the main plotline.

Even though everyone was aware that someone tried to kill Tej, why was there no security outside Aarya's house to protect her and the children? Aarya did stop the children from going to school once, but what about the other days? Where did Aarya's mother disappear after the first few episodes? Maybe all these could have been avoided with a tighter script. It takes far too long to reach to the killers of Tej Sareen and does drag towards the end.

Apart from these flaws, watch Aarya to see Sushmita Sen back in action on screen, as she lifts this mediocre crime thriller to another level.

'Aarya' is the mixture of a crime thriller and an emotional drama that always keeps its viewers on the edge of their seats. This web show has been the talk of the town, because of the return of Bollywood's evergreen Queen B Sushmita Sen. From Naseeruddin Shah to Madhavan this trend of comebacks on OTT platforms has been going on since a very long time. We can't tell you how much we missed the elegant and always convincing power-packed performances of Sushmita Sen on screen. Along with her, we get to see the comeback of actor Chandrachur Singh, who vanished into thin air many years ago. The show is an official adaptation of Dutch series Penoza which many of us might not have heard of before. × 'Aarya' has Sushmita Sen written all over it, in fact, the title of the film is the name of her character. Set in Rajasthan, the show is the journey of Aarya, who struggles to clean the mess left by her husband, fending off a rival drug mafia in order to keep her children safe. The calm before the storm: Aarya's husband Tej Sareen (Chandrachur Singh) runs Aaryasattava Pharmaceuticals, which is just a front for a secret illegal business of transporting medical drugs with a large quantity of opium across the Indian border. With all his contacts and bribes in various checkpoints in place, Tej's business was going smooth and away from the radar of police. However, the matter goes out of hand when he, along with his partners in business and crime, friend Jawahar (Namit Das) and brother-in-law Sangram (Ankur Bhatia) decide to take the business to next level. The trio steals feared drug mafia Shekawat's (Manish Choudhary) 300 crore consignment of narcotics and all hell breaks loose. While Tej gets shot, Sangram lands up in jail and Jawahar struggles to find a way through this mess. This event causes a domino effect on Aarya's whole family and the family business. Directed by Ram Madhvani, Sandeep Modi and Vinod Rawat, the web show has 9 episodes of around 50 minutes each. We get to see Sushmita Sen's character develop from a person who willingly stays away from the family business to someone who calls all the shots because of unforeseen circumstances to keep her children safe. Each episode of the show ends in a cliff hanger, increasing the urge to binge-watch this crime thriller with a gripping storyline. The writers of the show Sandeep Shrivastava and Anu Singh Choudhary make sure the viewers never stop their guessing game, by adding new twists and turns to the plot every episode. The music of the show adds to the thriller element, it blends perfectly well with the scenes and never gets unnecessary and overpowering. We also see the use of old Hindi songs such as 'Bade Achhe Lagte Hain', 'Zindagi Ek Safar Hai Suhana' and 'Aaiye Meherbaan' to show different moods during the narrative. Although Aarya seems like a show made just for Sushmita Sen's comeback, it would not have been executed half as well without its other cast members' solid performances, whose subplots add more depth into the narrative of the show. ACP Khan (Vikas Kumar) of the Narcotics Enforcement Bureau plays a brilliant role as a cop who is chasing Aarya and her family to find a loose end and bust their seemingly shady business. Aarya's children Aditya, Veer and Arundati provide good performances, portraying naive kids trying to make sense and come to terms with the reality of their family. There are a few things that could have been executed slightly differently in the show. For starters the length, it surely is a big commitment to invest 9 hours into this crime thriller. Even though the narrative is not flat, it does get a bit stretched in between the episodes, especially the latter half of the show. Aarya tends to deviate from the main plot of who shot Tej, with going far too deep into stories of other characters. At some points, you ask yourself, was that scene actually necessary? Adding too many characters and subplots also led to holes in the main plotline. Even though everyone was aware that someone tried to kill Tej, why was there no security outside Aarya's house to protect her and the children? Aarya did stop the children from going to school once, but what about the other days? Where did Aarya's mother disappear after the first few episodes? Maybe all these could have been avoided with a tighter script. It takes far too long to reach to the killers of Tej Sareen and does drag towards the end. Apart from these flaws, watch Aarya to see Sushmita Sen back in action on screen, as she lifts this mediocre crime thriller to another level.

Masks, sanitizers, gloves- little did we think, a year ago, that purchasing these simple items would become the most important thing in our 2020 to-do-lists. At this very second, the coronavirus has confined all of us everywhere, within the four walls of our homes.&nbsp;

Netflix India's, 'Home Stories' is a collection of four short films that give us a glimpse of the few complications that have arisen due to the lockdown. Full points on relatability here, as there are high chances that one of them might be your story or of someone close. This is also the first time we will be seeing narratives based on this year's coronavirus outbreak in Indian cinema.&nbsp;

Directed by four filmmakers- Sahirr Sethi, Anubhuti Kashyap, Tanvi Gandhi and Ashwin Laxmi Narayan, these short films have been written, shot and produced during the lockdown. Is there anything left which we Indians have not been able to accomplish in a work from home scenario? The viewers also get to see a behind-the-scenes towards the end of the anthology.

The first film titled 'Out With It', stars 'Made in Heaven' actor Arjun Mathur and dwells on the theme of mental health during the pandemic. The protagonist, Angad experiences anxiety and stress every time he decides to step outside the door. It's so extreme, that even to pick up the carton of eggs, he stops his breath first or tries to drag it with a long stick. In the midst of this, there is an anonymous voice that encourages him to step out, socialise and reunite with his friends and family. But, everyday Angad puts on his clothes, repeats "I will go out today," but ultimately sticks to his daily plan of staying under house arrest. It's ironic that when he finally gets the courage to step into the outside world, the country itself comes under lockdown. The whole film is carried by this one actor, who with very few dialogues, manages to speak volumes through his expressions.

'Will You Be My Quarantine?'&nbsp;is the second film and revolves around a couple that is forced to live under lockdown together. Vaishnavi (Saba Azad) and Rehaan's (Imaad Shah) one-night stand gets converted to a 3 weeks standoff after the Prime Minister's announcement of a nationwide lockdown. Irritated and frustrated with each other, they initially start off by playing a game of cat and mouse. But, over the course of a few days or actually arguments they develop a soft corner for each other. While Vaishnavi helps out by giving Rehaan her laptop during a work crisis, Rehaan plans her an impromptu birthday party. This unlikely duo, make the best of the situation and ultimately become good friends.&nbsp;We also get to see a small cameo by Little Things actors&nbsp;Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgal.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<img alt="This unlikely duo, make the best of the situation and ultimately become good friends" data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f43034f5-9329-4975-bab9-d3f8a74c98e2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/image6%20.jpg" />
'Delivering Smiles'&nbsp;was the most heartwarming story in this anthology. It tries to convey an important message of being empathetic towards delivery executives. This is the story of Prakash (Tanmay Dhanania) who records his entire day as he goes around the city doing his daily job in the middle of the lockdown. While we sit safely in our houses, the delivery executives make sure we get all our necessities and cravings by risking their own lives. The short film shows the kind of customers a delivery guy like Prakash would meet during the coronavirus lockdown. From an over paranoid customer who treats the delivery executive with disrespect to an old lady who offers him a glass of water, Prakash meets a variety of people. His optimism is a force to reckon with, as whatever life throws at him, he simply smiles and says "have a good day, have a good life!" Tanmay Dhanania's acting is on point and he fits into the character of Prakash effortlessly.
<img alt="'Delivering Smiles' was the most heartwarming story in this anthology." data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="86a291ea-af27-402f-8197-25acb1846c85" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Image%202.png" />
'Web Ne Bana Di Jodi' shows the journey of Ashu (Veer Rajwant Singh) and Jia (Apoorva Arora), who had to settle for an online Shaadi. After a disastrous Haldi ceremony conducted on a video call, Jia receives flak from her father, who always envisioned a grand wedding for his daughter. He even threatens not to attend the rest of the ceremonies. However, the couple's positive attitude and love for each other prevails as they not only conduct a 'viral' sangeet, but are also able to persuade Jia's father to attend the wedding. If you or any of your close ones are set to be married during the lockdown, watch this film for an idea of what a roller coaster ride it will be!

From predicting if the Prime Minister&nbsp;will end the lockdown in the next speech to the time when we were told to go on balconies and bang utensils to show our support to corona warriors, these memorable moments have been captured well through these films. You will get a sense of deja vu for sure! All four films have an interesting storyline, and each portrays their themes beautifully.

So till we finally get rid of corona and reclaim the outdoors once again, watch 'Home Stories' to get a flashback on what these previous months have been like for all of us. Until then, stay indoors, stay safe!

Masks, sanitizers, gloves- little did we think, a year ago, that purchasing these simple items would become the most important thing in our 2020 to-do-lists. At this very second, the coronavirus has confined all of us everywhere, within the four walls of our homes.

Masks, sanitizers, gloves- little did we think, a year ago, that purchasing these simple items would become the most important thing in our 2020 to-do-lists. At this very second, the coronavirus has confined all of us everywhere, within the four walls of our homes. Netflix India's, 'Home Stories' is a collection of four short films that give us a glimpse of the few complications that have arisen due to the lockdown. Full points on relatability here, as there are high chances that one of them might be your story or of someone close. This is also the first time we will be seeing narratives based on this year's coronavirus outbreak in Indian cinema. Directed by four filmmakers- Sahirr Sethi, Anubhuti Kashyap, Tanvi Gandhi and Ashwin Laxmi Narayan, these short films have been written, shot and produced during the lockdown. Is there anything left which we Indians have not been able to accomplish in a work from home scenario? The viewers also get to see a behind-the-scenes towards the end of the anthology. The first film titled 'Out With It', stars 'Made in Heaven' actor Arjun Mathur and dwells on the theme of mental health during the pandemic. The protagonist, Angad experiences anxiety and stress every time he decides to step outside the door. It's so extreme, that even to pick up the carton of eggs, he stops his breath first or tries to drag it with a long stick. In the midst of this, there is an anonymous voice that encourages him to step out, socialise and reunite with his friends and family. But, everyday Angad puts on his clothes, repeats "I will go out today," but ultimately sticks to his daily plan of staying under house arrest. It's ironic that when he finally gets the courage to step into the outside world, the country itself comes under lockdown. The whole film is carried by this one actor, who with very few dialogues, manages to speak volumes through his expressions. 'Will You Be My Quarantine?' is the second film and revolves around a couple that is forced to live under lockdown together. Vaishnavi (Saba Azad) and Rehaan's (Imaad Shah) one-night stand gets converted to a 3 weeks standoff after the Prime Minister's announcement of a nationwide lockdown. Irritated and frustrated with each other, they initially start off by playing a game of cat and mouse. But, over the course of a few days or actually arguments they develop a soft corner for each other. While Vaishnavi helps out by giving Rehaan her laptop during a work crisis, Rehaan plans her an impromptu birthday party. This unlikely duo, make the best of the situation and ultimately become good friends. We also get to see a small cameo by Little Things actors Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgal. 'Delivering Smiles' was the most heartwarming story in this anthology. It tries to convey an important message of being empathetic towards delivery executives. This is the story of Prakash (Tanmay Dhanania) who records his entire day as he goes around the city doing his daily job in the middle of the lockdown. While we sit safely in our houses, the delivery executives make sure we get all our necessities and cravings by risking their own lives. The short film shows the kind of customers a delivery guy like Prakash would meet during the coronavirus lockdown. From an over paranoid customer who treats the delivery executive with disrespect to an old lady who offers him a glass of water, Prakash meets a variety of people. His optimism is a force to reckon with, as whatever life throws at him, he simply smiles and says "have a good day, have a good life!" Tanmay Dhanania's acting is on point and he fits into the character of Prakash effortlessly. 'Web Ne Bana Di Jodi' shows the journey of Ashu (Veer Rajwant Singh) and Jia (Apoorva Arora), who had to settle for an online Shaadi. After a disastrous Haldi ceremony conducted on a video call, Jia receives flak from her father, who always envisioned a grand wedding for his daughter. He even threatens not to attend the rest of the ceremonies. However, the couple's positive attitude and love for each other prevails as they not only conduct a 'viral' sangeet, but are also able to persuade Jia's father to attend the wedding. If you or any of your close ones are set to be married during the lockdown, watch this film for an idea of what a roller coaster ride it will be! From predicting if the Prime Minister will end the lockdown in the next speech to the time when we were told to go on balconies and bang utensils to show our support to corona warriors, these memorable moments have been captured well through these films. You will get a sense of deja vu for sure! All four films have an interesting storyline, and each portrays their themes beautifully. So till we finally get rid of corona and reclaim the outdoors once again, watch 'Home Stories' to get a flashback on what these previous months have been like for all of us. Until then, stay indoors, stay safe!

'Home Stories' Review: Based on the coronavirus pandemic, these lockdown tales will surely give you a deja vu

Love, empathy, and affection- these aren't words you may generally hear while watching a movie that includes the American invasion of the Middle East. However,&nbsp;'Chintu Ka Birthday'&nbsp;manages to bring out all these emotions through the tale of a family making the most of a birthday, amidst a war-torn neighbourhood, in a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq.

Meet the Tiwari family, who because of unforeseen circumstances gets stuck in Iraq's capital, Baghdad. Bombs, gunshots and violence are daily occurrences with the tensions prevailing between the American and Iraqi militia. The plot revolves around the 6-year-old Chintu (Vedant Chibber), whose excitement and expectations for his birthday makes you forget about the horrifying reality outside. Chintu's father Madan (Vinay Pathak), mother Sudha(Tillotama Shome) and sister Lakshmi (Bisha Chaturvedi) try their best to make sure their favourite Chintu enjoys his birthday party. Even the grumpy old&nbsp;Nani ji&nbsp;(Seema Pahwa)&nbsp;helps out, who always accuses Madan of their misery.

<img alt="Will Chintu be able to celebrate his birthday?" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4868ec68-36e8-487b-a51d-039d4e3f487d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202020-06-05%20at%207.26.36%20AM_1.png" />

The celebration at the Tiwari household though is interrupted soon by uninvited guests at the door-&nbsp; American soldiers who are looking for a suspected car bomber.

The movie introduces us to two American soldiers, Reed and Jackson. Reed, being in his first week in Iraq has a lot of preconceived notions about its people, believing most civilians are secretly Iraqi rebels. Jackson, on the other hand, having been here a long time is more aware of the existing civilian misery and therefore is more patient and understanding of the locals. The difference in their ideologies spins out an interesting dynamic between the two and their interactions with the Tiwaris.

Directed by Devanshu Kumar and Satyanshu Singh, the film has a short run-time of 83&nbsp;minutes and is available for streaming on OTT platform ZEE5. The whole film has been shot inside the four walls of the family house. One may say that this restricts the viewers from getting a feel of the tense war zone outside. But, the excellent sound effects by Bishwadeep Chatterjee make up for it. Especially when the two soldiers enter the house, the noise of the bomb blasts and screams of the people, help the viewer distinguish between the positive environment inside the house and the negativity outside.

'Chintu Ka Birthday' has a very tight script that manages to gives us a gist of what the Tiwaris went through the whole year, by just showing their one day on screen. The narrative of the film never gets too predictable and always keeps the audience on their toes. Even though the script does go back and forth in time, the writers make sure their remains no holes in the plotline. One thing which stood out was the use of beautiful animations in the first half of the film to explain the backstory to the audience. What made these visuals even more special was the narration by none other than birthday boy Chintu. With references like 'America wale uncle' (George Bush) and Raja Sadam Hussein, Chintu made a complex lesson of world history sound so simple.

The film has brilliant performances and excellent character developments to boast off. Vinay Pathak perfectly fits in the role of Chintu's father, a man who would do anything to see a smile on his son's face. From fixing an ancient-looking oven to helping out wounded Jackson, his undying optimism is something that never falls short. He believes in the goodness of people- like for instance when his Iraqi landlord Mahdi acts suspiciously in front of the American soldiers, Pathak still believes he is innocent. Tillotama Shome's acting as a Bihari mother is a class apart, as she successfully manages to mould herself into the local dialect effortlessly. Not only did she perfect her dialogue delivery but she also sang a Bihari song in front of the whole family. We get to see a mother who not only comes up with quick solutions in the kitchen to keep the birthday plan on track but also proves to be the rock of the family when her husband is beaten up by the American soldiers. A special mention to Bisha Chaturvedi's acting, who excels in her role as the elder sister. Always looking out for Chintu, she tries to make sure that her baby brother has the best birthday this time.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aF5RJ4e9hdk" width="560"></iframe>

In Hindi movies, the audience generally roots for the hero to defeat the villain. But, in&nbsp;'Chintu Ka Birthday' there are no watertight compartments. Here, there is only one hero, and that is human empathy. All characters display empathy through the course of the movie to win the hearts of the audience, even the irritable&nbsp;Nani ji.

So while you are stuck in quarantine, you may want to ask yourself, do you want to celebrate Chintu's birthday party?&nbsp;Watch this film for the simple yet powerful message of love in these difficult times. As they say, a family that sticks together stays together.

Love, empathy, and affection- these aren't words you may generally hear while watching a movie that includes the American invasion of the Middle East. However, 'Chintu Ka Birthday' manages to bring out all these emotions through the tale of a family making the most of a birthday, amidst a war-torn neighbourhood, in a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq.

Love, empathy, and affection- these aren't words you may generally hear while watching a movie that includes the American invasion of the Middle East. However, 'Chintu Ka Birthday' manages to bring out all these emotions through the tale of a family making the most of a birthday, amidst a war-torn neighbourhood, in a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq. Meet the Tiwari family, who because of unforeseen circumstances gets stuck in Iraq's capital, Baghdad. Bombs, gunshots and violence are daily occurrences with the tensions prevailing between the American and Iraqi militia. The plot revolves around the 6-year-old Chintu (Vedant Chibber), whose excitement and expectations for his birthday makes you forget about the horrifying reality outside. Chintu's father Madan (Vinay Pathak), mother Sudha(Tillotama Shome) and sister Lakshmi (Bisha Chaturvedi) try their best to make sure their favourite Chintu enjoys his birthday party. Even the grumpy old Nani ji (Seema Pahwa) helps out, who always accuses Madan of their misery. The celebration at the Tiwari household though is interrupted soon by uninvited guests at the door- American soldiers who are looking for a suspected car bomber. The movie introduces us to two American soldiers, Reed and Jackson. Reed, being in his first week in Iraq has a lot of preconceived notions about its people, believing most civilians are secretly Iraqi rebels. Jackson, on the other hand, having been here a long time is more aware of the existing civilian misery and therefore is more patient and understanding of the locals. The difference in their ideologies spins out an interesting dynamic between the two and their interactions with the Tiwaris. Directed by Devanshu Kumar and Satyanshu Singh, the film has a short run-time of 83 minutes and is available for streaming on OTT platform ZEE5. The whole film has been shot inside the four walls of the family house. One may say that this restricts the viewers from getting a feel of the tense war zone outside. But, the excellent sound effects by Bishwadeep Chatterjee make up for it. Especially when the two soldiers enter the house, the noise of the bomb blasts and screams of the people, help the viewer distinguish between the positive environment inside the house and the negativity outside. 'Chintu Ka Birthday' has a very tight script that manages to gives us a gist of what the Tiwaris went through the whole year, by just showing their one day on screen. The narrative of the film never gets too predictable and always keeps the audience on their toes. Even though the script does go back and forth in time, the writers make sure their remains no holes in the plotline. One thing which stood out was the use of beautiful animations in the first half of the film to explain the backstory to the audience. What made these visuals even more special was the narration by none other than birthday boy Chintu. With references like 'America wale uncle' (George Bush) and Raja Sadam Hussein, Chintu made a complex lesson of world history sound so simple. The film has brilliant performances and excellent character developments to boast off. Vinay Pathak perfectly fits in the role of Chintu's father, a man who would do anything to see a smile on his son's face. From fixing an ancient-looking oven to helping out wounded Jackson, his undying optimism is something that never falls short. He believes in the goodness of people- like for instance when his Iraqi landlord Mahdi acts suspiciously in front of the American soldiers, Pathak still believes he is innocent. Tillotama Shome's acting as a Bihari mother is a class apart, as she successfully manages to mould herself into the local dialect effortlessly. Not only did she perfect her dialogue delivery but she also sang a Bihari song in front of the whole family. We get to see a mother who not only comes up with quick solutions in the kitchen to keep the birthday plan on track but also proves to be the rock of the family when her husband is beaten up by the American soldiers. A special mention to Bisha Chaturvedi's acting, who excels in her role as the elder sister. Always looking out for Chintu, she tries to make sure that her baby brother has the best birthday this time. In Hindi movies, the audience generally roots for the hero to defeat the villain. But, in 'Chintu Ka Birthday' there are no watertight compartments. Here, there is only one hero, and that is human empathy. All characters display empathy through the course of the movie to win the hearts of the audience, even the irritable Nani ji. So while you are stuck in quarantine, you may want to ask yourself, do you want to celebrate Chintu's birthday party? Watch this film for the simple yet powerful message of love in these difficult times. As they say, a family that sticks together stays together.

'Chintu Ka Birthday' review: Vinay Pathak, Tillotama Shomes' film is a ray of hope in this difficult time of quarantine

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Zee News Rajasthan

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Stuti Shukla

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