Exclusive! Barun Sobti reveals the deeper meanings in Asur 2

Fans have been waiting a long time for the second season of Asur — 3 years to be precise. Ahead of its release, the protagonist of the show, Barun Sobti, spoke exclusively to OTTplay about the deeper meaning of the story and that it is, in fact, an observational commentary on society, parenting, mental health, and tapping into the darker energy that exists in the human mind.

Asked about how his character has evolved from the first season to the upcoming one, Barun told OTTplay, "It (the second season) starts from where season one ended. The last twist of season one left everyone devastated. So, the stakes are higher this time, and the entire team is gearing up to find the killer. This time, the protagonist has to be as powerful as the antagonist, or the asur, because in the first season, Nikhil was in some ways submissive to the antagonist. This time, he has to match the intellect of the antagonist. You see, the name of the show is Asur, and here, the antagonist is the hero of the show, so he has to be powerful and outplay the good people."

Asur was released in 2020 and gained popularity over the last two years through word of mouth. Many people have rewatched the show as it is a multi-layered story. So, is Barun one of them? "Yes, I have watched it twice and discovered something or other both times," he said.

The story of the show is intertwined with Indian mythology and revolves around the fight between the evil and the virtuous. The characters are set in reality in such a manner that they also reflect the current picture of society.

Asked how he interprets the narrative, Barun said, "The story is a commentary on our society. Let's face it, human beings are quite a dark species, and every action is a reflection of either the situation or the reaction coming from some negative experience that a human being has faced in life. Criminals are no different; they're one of us."

"The human mind is a very complex subject, which is something that I understood not just by doing this show but even before that. For example, since not everyone is wired similarly, people take failure differently. Failure tends to breed toxicity and insecurity. There are some people who are pessimistic by default, while some are optimistic and others are realistic. Our society is a combination of all these people," the actor added.

The serial killer Asur had a traumatic childhood that mentally damaged him. Reflecting on this, Barun pointed out the importance of mental health.

"We should take our mental health seriously. If and when it is needed, people should reach out for help. There are times when people do not admit that they are not thinking correctly. When someone indulges in crime thinking that they are doing the right thing, then it is all the more dangerous. Many criminal activities are a result of childhood trauma, but in our show, the asur is very different. Yes, even though he had childhood trauma after being treated badly by his father, his mind is in a different zone altogether. He kills people and thinks that by doing that, he is creating a new world. That is scary," explained the actor.

Asur 2 is directed by Oni Sen and also stars Arshad Warsi, Anupriya Goenka, Ridhi Dogra, and Amey Wagh in important roles. It will release on JioCinema on June 1.