The third season of Aashram, a Hindi web series starring Bobby Deol, will release its second part exclusively on MX Player on July 17, 2024, according to official announcements by the streaming platform. The show, created by filmmaker Prakash Jha, continues to explore themes of religious exploitation, corruption, and societal hypocrisy through the lens of Deol’s controversial character, Baba Nirala. Data from MX Player’s viewership analytics reveals that the first two seasons of Aashram collectively garnered over 250 million streams within six months of their release, positioning it among the platform’s top-performing original series.
Aashram 3 was initially split into two parts, with the first batch of episodes debuting on March 11, 2024, to mixed critical reception but strong audience engagement. Industry reports indicate that the decision to bifurcate the season aligns with emerging OTT trends aimed at sustaining subscriber interest over extended periods. Part 2 will consist of eight episodes, bringing the total runtime of Season 3 to approximately 14 hours. The series is produced by Prakash Jha Productions, which has invested an estimated ₹45 crore ($5.4 million) in the latest season, according to filings with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Bobby Deol’s portrayal of the manipulative godman has been a focal point of the show’s success. A 2023 survey by Ormax Media ranked Nirala as the fourth-most-recognized fictional antagonist in Indian streaming, trailing only characters from Sacred Games and Mirzapur. Deol’s performance earned him the Best Actor (Web Series) award at the 2023 Filmfare OTT Awards, with jury notes highlighting his “chilling transformation” and “nuanced depiction of moral decay.” Supporting cast members, including Aaditi Pohankar, Tridha Choudhury, and Anupriya Goenka, reprise their roles in Part 2, with new additions such as Vineet Kumar and Saanand Verma joining the ensemble.
The narrative of Aashram 3 Part 2 is expected to intensify the conflict between Baba Nirala’s cult and investigative forces, as hinted in the mid-season trailer released in June 2024. Prakash Jha, known for politically charged films like Rajneeti and Gangaajal, has infused the storyline with contemporary references to real-world scandals involving self-styled spiritual leaders. Legal disclaimers in the series’ credits clarify that characters are fictional, though media analysts note striking parallels to cases documented by the Indian Rationalist Association between 2010 and 2022.
MX Player, owned by Times Internet, has strategically positioned Aashram as a flagship property to compete with global streaming giants. Internal data from the platform shows a 33% increase in Hindi-language web series consumption among urban audiences aged 18–35 since 2022, with crime dramas and socio-political thrillers driving 62% of premium subscriptions. The release of Aashram 3 Part 2 coincides with MX Player’s expansion into Southeast Asian markets, where localized subtitles and dubbing have been prioritized to capture non-Hindi-speaking demographics.
Production for Season 3 faced delays due to pandemic-related disruptions and logistical challenges during filming in Bhopal’s ashram sets. A crew member’s on-set injury in January 2023 prompted temporary halts, though safety audits later confirmed compliance with industry standards. The series’ cinematography, led by Arvind Singh, employs a muted color palette and handheld camera techniques to amplify its gritty realism—a stylistic choice praised in a 2024 study by the Film and Television Institute of India for enhancing narrative immersion.
Audience anticipation for Part 2 remains high, with Google Trends data showing a 78% spike in searches for “Aashram 3 release date” between June and July 2024. Social media analytics firm Unmute360 reports that Bobby Deol’s teaser post about the finale received 1.2 million engagements within 24 hours, outperforming MX Player’s own promotional campaigns. However, the series continues to draw criticism from religious groups, with the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha filing a petition in the Delhi High Court in 2023 alleging “defamation of spiritual practices.” The case remains pending.
Prakash Jha, in a press statement, emphasized that Aashram aims to provoke dialogue rather than vilify institutions. “The series is a mirror to systemic flaws, not an indictment of faith itself,” he stated. Academic researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru University have cited the show in papers analyzing media’s role in shaping public discourse around governance and ethics. Meanwhile, streaming rivals like Disney+ Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video are reportedly developing similar content, signaling a broader industry shift toward socially conscious storytelling.
As the OTT landscape grows increasingly saturated, Aashram’s sustained popularity underscores the demand for content blending entertainment with socio-political commentary. With Part 2’s release, MX Player aims to consolidate its foothold in a market projected to reach $7 billion by 2026, per a PwC India report. For Bobby Deol, the series marks a career resurgence, with the actor securing roles in three upcoming web projects since 2023. Viewership metrics for the finale will likely influence not only MX Player’s content strategy but also the trajectory of Hindi-language digital narratives in the years ahead.
