The new year is all about work for Sikandar Kher, who has begun filming the third instalment of Aarya. As the actor joined Sushmita Sen and director Ram Madhvani on the set in Mumbai, he was welcomed by the team with a sweet note that referenced Al Pacino’s iconic lines from Scarface (1983): “The eyes, chico. They never lie.”

The note presumably hints at the impact that Kher made with his brooding act as Daulat, a man of few words.

Kher is naturally thrilled to return to the gritty world of the Disney+ Hotstar offering. “It is great to bring back a character I have lived with for two seasons,” says the actor.

Even though the cast may be intimately familiar with their characters, Madhvani ensured that they were thoroughly prepped before they faced the camera. “We did readings and workshops,” adds Kher.

In the crime drama, his character has had one of the most interesting graphs, going from a loyal bodyguard to the family’s patriarch, to becoming a pillar of support to Sen’s Aarya. He promises there will be surprises in the coming edition.

“Daulat has been evolving in the previous seasons. So, as the story progresses, new layers will be added, not just to my character, but to most of the principal players in the narrative.”