Opinions about Ara's works remain divided with his critics accusing them of lacking perfection and not referenced from life.

In 1963 he exhibited his "Black Nude" series in Mumbai and was part of the inaugural show at the Pundole Art Gallery.

[7] Ara was the first contemporary Indian painter to focus on the female nude as a subject while staying within the limits of naturalism.

Here his successful execution of thin pigmentation recalled his initial work with water colors as seen in the painting "Woman with Flowers".

[9] Ara work reflected a deep influence of French modern artists, specially Paul Cezanne.

[10] Ara won the Governor's Award for painting in 1944 and a Gold Medal from the Bombay Art Society for his canvas "Two Jugs" in 1952.

[7] Ara was part of the managing committee of the Bombay Art Society[2] and later became a Fellow of Lalit Kala Akademi.