Dabba Cartel

From a Western woman's perspective, and as an American who spent time in India 20 years ago, I REALLY enjoyed this series. It reminded me of Breaking Bad, but not quite of course. I thought the acting was excellent and the story-line shocking and compelling. I loved the female cast. Highly recommend. I can't wait for season 2!

I think this series presents a window into Indian life and culture that Westerners will find intriguing. I especially enjoyed the mother-in-law's character. Although there is some violence and sexual innuendo, it is not as much as seen in Western shows which I really appreciate.

Dabba Cartel had a solid story at its core, but the execution didn't quite do it justice. The screenplay felt weak and dragged in parts, making it a bit of a chore to sit through. While the performances were mostly good, Shabana Azmi was excellent as always, and Jyothika handled her Hindi well, the series never really pulled me in the way it should have.

What made it worse were the unnecessary rap songs in the background, which felt completely out of place. The show keeps you watching because you expect some jaw-dropping climax, but when it finally comes, it just fizzles out. It wasn't a total disaster, but it was stretched out more than needed, and the impact got lost along the way. A decent watch for the performances, but don't go in expecting a thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Web Series: the new incarnation in the realm of Celluloid art provides larger opportunity to narrate a story in detail. However, the objective should be exploring new ideas. But if filmmakers feel that the length of a Web Series provides leverage to test the patience of the viewers, it is nothing but barking at the wrong trees.

Under this light, the new Bollywood Web Series Dabba Cartel released on 28th February, 2025 can be discussed. The Web Series certainly has some good important points. But this is also true that the Web Series is unnecessarily lenghy and at certain points looks dull andmonotonous. With 7 Episodes, its length is more than 6 hours. The duration could have been minimized.

Anyway, the story deals with both need and aspirations of 5 women belonging to different socio-economic category of urban India. Actually, 2 main plots run together here. One is about home delivery of food by three women initially. Another one is: the pharma business run by their male counterparts. But as greed begins to take them in grip, they begin narcotic production and sale. Thus all take the path of sin and get accustomed with committing crime. The story also narrates another plot; strives of one female police officer and a senior official of the narcotic control to crack the crime and bring them to justice. This is really appreciating that the story ends with a sense of nihilism when all 3 plots get mingled and proves that crime never pays.

The Web Series uses a brilliant metaphor at the end. Here blood and bloodsoaked hands and clothes and the frustration while cleansing them by all the women is really brilliant. It refers many things; bloodsoaked hands of Macbeth, holy blood, foetus and others manifesting creation and destruction.

The direction is good. The casting is really good. Shabana Azmi is brilliant as always. Jyothika, Shalini, Nimisha, Gajraj Rao and Jishu Sengupta, all have performed really well. A must watch Web Series. But have patience to enjoy it.

Netflix's Dabba Kartal brings an engaging crime drama that revolves around the resurgence of a drug cartel in India, led by a former mafia kingpin's manager who resurfaces after decades in hiding. The storyline is intriguing, and the execution is commendable, though it has some rough edges.

The casting is spot-on, with every actor fitting their roles well. The standout performances come from the lead actors, especially Shalini Pandey, who delivers a powerful and memorable act. While the actor playing Kashi Bhai does a phenomenal job, one can't help but imagine how incredible Dimple Kapadia would have been in the role.

One of the series' strong points is its fresh take on drug trafficking-using the Dabba (lunchbox) concept for smuggling. However, the way it's handled lacks the finesse seen in other crime sagas like Narcos. The amateurish approach of the main characters makes sense in context, but at times, it feels too casual, reducing the tension that such a series should carry.

Despite its minor flaws, Dabba Kartal is a gripping watch, well-directed, and entertaining throughout. A one-time must-watch for crime drama lovers!

Dabba Cartel has a good plot but could have been executed in a much better way. Some scenes felt forced, and profanity was excessively used, making it seem unnecessary. The background score was a major letdown, why turn it into a rap when a more intense, gripping score could have elevated the tension?

That said, the series isn't all bad. The performances are top-notch, with Jyotika and Gajraj Rao delivering compelling acts.

The narrative focused more on the personal lives of five women rather than the pharmaceutical company, which, while unexpected, was the only element that kept me hooked. The show had potential but missed the mark in execution.