Veteran actor Shabana Azmi-headlined show Dabba Cartel is currently streaming on Netflix. Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Media and Entertainment, the web show generated much buzz upon its release. Finding time from my work schedule, I decided to try it.
If you have watched The Big Bang Theory, Narcos, El Chapo, Top Boy and more, Dabba Cartel is an Indian version of how a drug cartel operates in Mumbai and Thane.
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Dabba Cartel plot
A drug safety officer Ajit Pathak (Gajraj Rao) is investigating the production of a opioid painkiller, the aforementioned Modella, and reaches the office of pharmaceutical giant VivaLife. He is assigned a local police officer Preeti (Sai Tamhankar) and the duo reach the office for further investigation.
Among the VivaLife employees is Hari (Bhupendra Singh Jadawat), who tries his best to get into the good books of the company CEO Shankar Dasgupta (Jissu Sengupta), with a hope of relocating to Germany. He lives with his wife Raji, who runs a dabba service along with her domestic help Mala (Nimisha Sajayan). But there’s a twist.
The dabba food service is used to sell ‘herbal viagra’ to the customers. One day, Mala’s boyfriend Santosh (Prateek Pachauri) blackmails her with an intimate video of theirs and asks her to sell MDMA along with the tiffins.
Mala and Raji rent a flat with the help of a broker Shahida (Anjali Anand), and the trio join the business. After selling an initial batch, Mala and Raji confront Santosh and throw the drug into the washbasin. Little do they know what are the consequences. Santosh is killed by his boss, Chavan (Sandesh Kulkarni), a notorious drug dealer.
Then enters Sheila, the mother-in-law of Raji who seems to have been a part of Mumbai’s drug smuggling ring. Buckling under threat, the four women reluctantly begin to sell drugs and enter the vicious drug underworld.
Meanwhile, Shankar’s wife Varuna (Jyotika) is struggling with finances and a declining fashion store. After a deal with Sheila and Shahida goes horribly wrong, she is forced into the murky drug world.
Dabba Cartel cast and crew
Dabba Cartel has been created by Shibani Akhtar, Vishnu Menon, Gaurav Kapur and Akanksha Seda. The show has been directed by Hitesh Bhatia, known for 2022 drama Sharmaji Namkeen featuring late Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal.
The show features Shabana Azmi as Sheila Jagtap, the matriarch who dabbles in drug operations. The show also features Jyotika, who was recently seen in Shaitaan. Shalini Pandey of Kabir Singh fame, features as Raji in the seven-episode thriller.
Nimisha Sajayan, who earned rave reviews with her performance in The Great Indian Kitchen, portrays the role of domestic help Mala. Anjali Anand, who was seen in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, plays a real estate broker Shahida.
On the other hand, Sai Tamhankar plays the role of a local cop who is investigating the wrongdoings in VivaLife.
Dabba Cartel review
When I started watching this show, I did not intend to compare it to the likes of Narcos and Big Bang Theory. Those two shows have a different setting altogether. Dabba Cartel is a story of ambition and survival.
The five women who are a part of the cartel, have their own stories and struggles. Shabana Azmi is the flagbearer of the show, portraying the no-nonsense matriarch going to any extent to protect her family. Her street-smart negotiations with Chavan is a visual treat to watch.
Gajraj Rao as the drug inspector is impressive as a determined drug safety officer, who plays by the ears to uncover the truth behind Modella. Sai Tamhankar, Anjali Anand, Nimisha Sajayan and Jyotika have also played their parts very well.
Although the show does falter in parts and struggles to engage at times, but it is not at all a bad effort.