Actor Sushmita Sen has always believed in speaking the truth, be it about her professional sphere or personal life. That’s why she didn’t try to conceal the fact that her relationship with model-actor Rohman Shawl had ended.

“For me, closure is a big thing. When you are a public figure, the person [who is] involved with you is also in the public eye. So, it is not fair for his or your life to be stuck,” says Sen, who announced her split from Shawl via social media earlier this month.

She continues, “Closure is essential for both people so that they can move on with their lives. And, of course, the friendship remains. At my age, if I sit and think about the terrible things (in life), I am wasting my life.”

The 46-year-old is proud of the fact that she has learned a lot from every relationship she has had in her life. “In every relationship, I’ve grown. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to speak your truth,” the actor says and adds that she is “a 100% person”.

“When I’m in love, I’m 100%. So, when we leave (part ways) gracefully, we must do that 100% [as well]. Whatever the reason may be [for your breakup], your life is not about being in a loop. The truth is incredible because it allows people to remain friends and be good to each other. The world needs that love. There are enough problems with it already,” explains the actor.

On the professional front, Sen describes 2021 as a beautiful year. Her career has reached new heights, with her web series Aarya receiving International Emmy nominations and the success of its second season. “I feel blessed. I came back after a 10-year hiatus with an author-backed role, which has got overwhelming acceptance. It has not been a mixed year, but a beautiful one,” she says.

A few days before her birthday this year, Sen underwent surgery on November 16. She says that it was the result of a health concern she had ignored for the last seven years: “By the end of filming Aarya2, I knew that now we couldn’t delay this (surgery) anymore. Look at how graceful my God is that in the middle of Covid-19, Europe opened, just so that I could have my surgery done.” She adds that she is “recovering well, and is looking forward to getting back to training again”.

“I’m entering 2022 at my healthiest, hopefully fittest, and I have Aarya season three and other things to look forward to,” she ends.

Talent can be a patient thing. It doesn’t leave your side, honing itself quietly until the right moment comes its way. For Sushmita Sen, it came 24 years after her Bollywood debut, in the form of Aarya. If the first season made people rediscover Sen’s acting prowess, the latest instalment has proved that she gets better as the stakes rise higher.

To the actor, the Ram Madhvani creation represents the kind of content she always believed in. “Now, I am moving in the right direction. I am marrying the person I am with the role I choose. It required a director like Ram and such a team to allow me to do that,” she says.

In the eight-part series, circumstances and shifting alliances compel Sen’s Aarya to transform from a homemaker to a fierce don. The actor is delighted that the audiences have embraced a woman-led story, season on season. “The show is inspired by Penoza [the Dutch series], or [if you see the similarities], the role is a female version of Michael Corleone from The Godfather. So, it’s tough for Indian audiences to suddenly accept not just a strong female lead, but to see her being everything that we consider masculine. Thanks to Ram, Aarya is still as feminine as she can be, because she is a mother first.”

The advent of streaming platforms has changed the content landscape in India over the past two years. Sen seconds the idea. “The real celebration of content has come through OTT because it has allowed us to explore. It’s not about actors, whose careers had come to an end, making a comeback. It is about web [platforms] that allow Indian stories to have international appeal while remaining true to Indian culture. [Aarya] being nominated at the Emmys was a shoutout to the fact that we are making our presence felt globally.”

The second season of the Disney+ Hotstar series ends with a tease, as Aarya finds herself facing a new enemy. Is a third edition on its way? “Penoza had five seasons. So, we have the basic arc of five seasons. Only Ram can answer this question, but I have a dirty feeling we’re coming with season three,” she laughs.

Aarya is one of those finely written shows where the supporting actors hold their own even as the spotlight shines brightly on the eponymous character, essayed by Sushmita Sen. As the second season of the Ram Madhvani creation is set to drop online tomorrow, Sikandar Kher says that though his brooding Daulat plays an integral role in the narrative, he has no qualms admitting that the crime drama is a Sen show all the way. 

“Aarya is the story of a strong woman, and that is exactly what Sushmita is. As the protagonist, she has carried the show on her shoulders and done a brilliant job. Aarya portrays the inner strength of a woman, and who better than Sushmita to portray that? She personifies a strong woman,” says Kher, adding that her streak of independence makes her a perfect fit for the role that sees her turning into a reluctant gangster. 

“Look at Sushmita’s career choices and life choices. She is an inspiration to women. I am happy the series has done well because it is another example of what women can do today.’’

While the second edition of the International Emmy-nominated series will see the protagonist return to settle old scores, Kher says that Daulat will unveil a secret that will change the dynamics between the duo.

Taking inspiration from his mother, Kirron Kher — who returned to the judges’ panel of India’s Got Talent after battling cancer — Sikandar Kher focuses on staying busy with work. “My mother [believes] that an actor should wish to stay busy because the rest is not in your control.” Sikandar is gearing up for the second season of the Sushmita Sen-lead Aarya, where he plays the silent hitman, Daulat protecting his boss’s family.

The first instalment of the Disney+ Hotstar series ended with Sikandar’s character going behind bars. The show picks up from where they left off in season two. But for the actor, returning to the character’s psyche was a challenge. “At first, it took time to find Daulat again. In movies, once you shoot for the role, you [usually] don’t have to return to it. It took me three takes to feel the character [within me]. It takes time to figure out the character,” says the actor, who is grateful to digital entertainment for keeping artistes employed. “OTT gives space for many stories, thus giving people employment options.”

Dealing with his mother’s illness has changed Sikandar’s thought process and unpredictability of life. “Mom has always been a fighter, full of life and energy. She doesn’t take anything for granted, and still has a positive outlook on life. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. [So], you have to live for today and stay busy,” adds Sikandar.

The final scene of Aarya indicated that the Sushmita Sen-fronted story was far from over. After the maiden season received glowing reviews, directors Ram Madhvani, Sandeep Modi and Vinod Rawat are set to kick off the second edition of the crime drama in Dubai next month. Sources say that the leading lady is wrapping up her projects in Mumbai, including a fictional reality show, so that she can leave for the desert emirate in time.

"In the last season, it was seen that after wiping out her rivals in the drugs business, Sushmita's character Aarya heads to New Zealand with her family. The directors plan to shoot the indoor scenes in Dubai over a two-month schedule. The production team had conducted the necessary recces virtually over the past few months. With a large chunk of the series shot before the year-end, a 20-day schedule will be conducted in the first half of 2021 to complete the outdoor shots," says a source. While the outdoor leg requires a foreign location, the source adds that the team will determine the country depending on the Coronavirus restrictions at the time.

mid-day reached out to Madhvani's spokesperson, who remained unavailable for comment.