Dabba Cartel Review: Secrets, spice, and a scandalous empire

Set against vibrant but volatile 1960s Mumbai, Dabba Cartel is an action crime thriller that reveals the hidden lives of five middle-class homemakers who secretly build an empire of powerful smuggling. What starts as a small venture complicates itself as it entices them into a deadly game of deception, authority, and backstabbing. While navigating the ruthless world of their everyday domestic lives, these women must outsmart not only the police but also their own rival groups in order to survive. 

Headlined by powerhouse performances by Shabana Azmi, Jyotika, Nimisha Sajayan, Shalini Pandey, and Anjali Anand, this gripping series is one of the most highly anticipated new OTT shows with a much-needed new twist on crime dramas through a powerful female-led narrative. Streaming now exclusively on Netflix.

From Tiffins to Turf Wars: The Rise of Mumbai’s Secret Cartel

In the chock-a-block streets of 1960s Mumbai, five ordinary housewives are leading double lives—preparing lunches by day and a shadowy smuggling operation by night. From modest beginnings with lunchboxes used as a cover, the operation becomes a full-scale battle for control, money, and betrayal. As their power grows, so does the threat of the police, other gangs, and backstabbing lurking in the corner.

Blending their domestic duties with the dangers of the underworld, these women have to outsmart enemies while protecting their loved ones. But in a city where loyalty is fleeting and danger lurks around every corner, how long will they be able to keep their secret safe? Dabba Cartel is a gripping tale of ambition, survival, and women's ability to risk stepping beyond the trodden path.

Dabba Cartel Review: A Fiery Blend of Crime, Courage, and Chaos

Netflix's Dabba Cartel whisks us away on a wild ride through the dingy world of Mumbai in 1960s, where five bland housewives stir up more than a culinary cocktail. Subserviently clad in humility outside, five innocuous wives harbored in themselves a clandestine empire, operating a deadlier secret life than that hidden within society. 

With new idea, powerful female cast, and intense plot, Dabba Cartel tries to redefine crime shows by merging power struggles, personal crises, and life-and-death lies. Does it really give us a binge-watching experience, though?

Performances: Women Who Steal the Show

The females get into the limelight, and each one brings to her own individualistic character vigor and energy as a woman with substance. They range from an intuitive strategist working in the shadows to an unwilling player who stumbles into crime through circumstance. Flexible yet intense, they provide a diverse palette of characters. The unconfined openness, high-stakes confrontation, and transient moments of raw affection render a cohesive group of characters to captivate the audience.

Direction and Screenplay: A Tale of Two Worlds

The creators of Dabba Cartel blend the dullness of normal life with the unpredictability of the criminal world with ease. The screenplay is suspenseful in itself with good-textured tension, though a few of the plot turns were slightly predictable. The tempo absorbs the audience and makes them wait for more, while some of the subplots needed to be built stronger in order to inject more emotional resonance.

Cinematography and Music: Awakening the 1960s

As far as looks go, Dabba Cartel is a delight. Cinematography helps bring 1960s Mumbai to life—people filling up the roads, darkened back alleys, colorful houses, which silently watch what follows after. Background score modestly plays its role towards the tension mount, but never overrules the story.

The Highs and Lows: A Bland Basket of Surprises

✔ What Works

* An enjoyed crime thriller with daring lady protagonists.
* A nice mix of personal tragedy and criminal ambition.
* Gritty, realistic plot with an engaging premise.

❌ What Could Have Been Improved

* Some predictable turns that lower the shock value.
* Some underdeveloped subplots that might have added more depth.

Conclusion

Dabba Cartel delivers an engaging crime thriller with a new twist, leading the way with female-centered stories. While it doesn't necessarily change the game, it undoubtedly brings an interesting dimension to the crime thriller genre. 

With good performances, an interesting plot, and some suspense, it's a binge-worthy addition to Netflix's crime catalog. If you’re in the mood for a thrilling mix of danger, deception, and determination, Dabba Cartel is worth a watch.