Asur director Oni Sen on not returning for third season: “There was nothing new or fresh left for me to bring”

The third season of popular psychological thriller series Asur recently went into production. While Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti, Ridhi Dogra and Anupriya Goenka are returning in leads to reprise their roles, the new season has undergone a major creative change behind the camera. As Bollywood Hungama recently reported, Oni Sen, who directed the previous two seasons, is not returning for the new season, with the show's showrunner Gaurav Shukla taking on the directorial duties this time.

Speaking exclusively to Bollywood Hungama, Oni Sen reveals that his decision to step away from Asur Season 3 was a natural closure to his journey with the franchise. "Like meaningful chapters in life, my personal directorial journey with Asur reached its natural conclusion. After pouring everything I had into two seasons, I realized I had given it all, and there was nothing new or fresh left for me to bring to that specific directorial table," the filmmaker says.

Following Sen’s departure, Gaurav Shukla, who served as the lead writer and showrunner on the previous seasons of Asur, has taken the directorial reins to himself. He is co-directing the new season with ad filmmaker Shwetabh Varma. Sen says passing the baton wasn't an easy decision, but he has confidence in the new team. "Knowing that Gaurav and Shwetabh are taking the director's chair for the new season fills me with immense comfort and excitement. They will surely do a great job. I wish them, and the entire team, nothing but the absolute best as they carry this story forward."

For Sen, Asur remains a landmark that will forever hold a special place in his heart. "It was my first long-format narrative drama. It was a leap into the unknown that turned into an extraordinary journey. The way audiences embraced the show, the overwhelming love we received, and the cult following it built over two seasons is something every filmmaker dreams of. Even today, barely a week goes by without someone stopping me to ask the exact same question with unmatched excitement: "When is Asur 3 coming out?" the director reveals.

Looking back at the making of the first two seasons, the director credits the show’s writing team, the cast’s commitment to the characters, and a relentless crew for helping create a world that resonated strongly with viewers. "Building Asur across Seasons 1 and 2 was a thrilling, beautiful, and intensely collaborative experience. I was lucky to have a fantastic writing team, an exceptional cast who gave their absolute souls to these characters, and a relentless crew,” Sen remembers. “Together, we managed to build a world that left a lasting mark on Indian web series history."

Oni Sen is currently celebrating the massive success of his latest Netflix series, Operation Safed Sagar. The large-scale war drama has received widespread love and acclaim for authentically portraying Indian Air Force personnel, their conflict, and their professional and personal challenges they faced during the 1999 Kargil war. The show stars Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Varma, Dia Mirza, Mihir Ahuja, Adil Hussain, and Prajakta Koli in lead roles.

Also Read: Ahsaas Channa joins Asur 3 alongside Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti, begins shooting