Overview
Aashram is an Indian Hindi-language crime drama web series directed by Prakash Jha and produced under his banner Prakash Jha Productions for the streaming platform MX Player. The series stars Bobby Deol in the lead role of Baba Nirala, a self-styled godman whose ashram becomes the centre of a web of crime, politics and exploitation. It marked Prakash Jha's debut as a director in the long-format streaming space and Bobby Deol's first major OTT lead.
The show explores themes of religious manipulation, caste politics, drug trafficking, sexual exploitation and the nexus between spiritual leaders and political power in contemporary India. It is widely regarded as drawing thematic inspiration from real-life controversies surrounding Indian self-styled spiritual figures.
Key Facts
| Title | Aashram |
|---|---|
| Genre | Crime drama, thriller |
| Language | Hindi |
| Director | Prakash Jha |
| Producer | Prakash Jha Productions |
| Lead actor | Bobby Deol |
| Original network | MX Player |
| Country | India |
| First released | 2020 |
Cast
- Bobby Deol as Baba Nirala (Monty / Kashipur Waale), the central godman figure
- Aaditi Pohankar as Pammi, a wrestler from a Dalit background drawn into the ashram
- Chandan Roy Sanyal as Bhopa Swami, the Baba's close aide and enforcer
- Darshan Kumar as Ujagar Singh, a police officer investigating the ashram
- Tridha Choudhury as Babita, a devotee inside the ashram
- Anupriya Goenka as Dr. Natasha Katariya, a forensic specialist
- Anurita Jha in a supporting role
- Sachin Shroff, Rajeev Siddhartha and Vikram Kochhar in supporting roles
Plot
The narrative is set in the fictional state of Uttar Pradesh region around Kashipur, where Baba Nirala has built an enormous following among the rural and urban poor, particularly among lower-caste communities promised dignity and salvation. Pammi, a young aspiring wrestler facing caste discrimination, is brought into the ashram's fold. As the seasons progress, a parallel investigation begins to unravel disappearances, drug operations and crimes committed under the cover of the ashram's piety, while the Baba's influence over politicians and police makes accountability difficult.
Seasons
Season 1 (2020)
The first season, subtitled Kachora Sach, premiered on MX Player in 2020. It introduced the world of the ashram, established Baba Nirala's rise and showed how Pammi's life intersects with the cult-like setup.
Season 2: Chapter 2 (2020)
Released later in 2020, the second season deepened the political and criminal entanglements of the ashram, expanding on the police investigation and the exploitation of devotees.
Season 3 (2022)
The third season, released on MX Player in 2022, escalated the conflict between Baba Nirala's network and those trying to expose him, while introducing new political stakeholders.
Production
The series was shot largely in and around Bhopal and other parts of Madhya Pradesh, with additional schedules in regions of north India. Prakash Jha, known for socially rooted feature films such as Gangaajal, Rajneeti and Aarakshan, served as director and showrunner. The screenplay was developed by a team of writers including Habib Faisal, Avinash Kumar Singh and Tejpal Singh Rawat, among others credited across seasons.
During the filming of season three in 2021, the production faced an incident in Bhopal in which members of a Hindu organisation protested at the set, alleging that the show hurt religious sentiments. The matter was widely reported and a police complaint was registered. Prakash Jha publicly defended the series as a work of fiction examining the misuse of religion rather than religion itself.
Reception
Aashram drew significant viewership on MX Player and became one of the platform's most discussed original titles. Critical reception was mixed: reviewers praised Bobby Deol's restrained performance as the menacing Baba and Aaditi Pohankar's portrayal of Pammi, while some critiques noted pacing issues and a tendency toward melodrama. The show generated considerable public debate over the depiction of godmen and caste, with sections of viewers and commentators connecting its storyline to real-world cases involving self-proclaimed spiritual leaders in India.
Significance
The series is considered notable for several reasons. It contributed to the broader trend of Indian streaming originals tackling politically and socially sensitive subjects with a long-form structure. It also marked a career resurgence for Bobby Deol, repositioning him as a serious dramatic actor on OTT after a quieter period in mainstream Hindi cinema. For Prakash Jha, it represented a transition from theatrical features to streaming-led storytelling while continuing his interest in caste, governance and corruption.
Controversies
Beyond the on-set protest in Bhopal, the show attracted complaints from various groups who alleged that it stereotyped Hindu ascetics and saffron-clad figures. The makers maintained that the antagonist was a fictional fraudster and that the work targeted criminals masquerading as holy men, a theme consistent with Indian cinema's long history of such depictions.