Netflix's tough new series “Dabba Cartel” flips the lid from a Mumbai stainless steel lunch box to reveal a shocking crime drama that reflects the dark undercurrent of organized crime in real life in India. With the helm of an all-female ensemble and the suspense of suspense with compelling social commentary, the show not only gained attention but also inspired dialogue.
From Dabbas to Paints: Crime wrapped in curry.
The Dabba Cartel is located in Thane’s modest Bylanes, following five middle-class women who run Dabbawala services. But after their modest smiles and neat meals, it was a thriving drug surgery, carefully smuggled in lunch boxes throughout the city.
The talent of the series lies in its subtle nodding of how India's criminal underworld history disguises itself in a normal way. It draws inspiration from real tactics once used by smugglers and groups: drugs hidden in food containers, courier bags and even baby strollers. This is a novel rooted in frightening reality.
Feminist rebellion in the world of crime:
What makes Dabba Cartel stand out from the crowded genre of crime drama is that it focuses unapologetically on women, not as victims, but as masterminds. The actor led by Shabana Azmi, Jyothika, Nimisha Sajayan and others brings a rare narrative to life: women who weapons for invisible weapons in a patriarchal society to build and protect empires.
These are not your typical Tang people or female fatalities. They are mothers, daughter women, maids and agents – ordinary women encounter in extraordinary dangers. They reflect in many ways a truth rarely explored in public discourse: women have long played a quiet and critical role in India’s underground economy.
Mumbai Mirror: Trust, betrayal and survival costs.
In cities where millions of trusted Daba system daily meals, the “Dabakatel” raises an unsettling question – if the most trusted hands are also the most dangerous?
The premise becomes even more plaguing when you consider real events. In recent years, law enforcement agencies have discovered drug smuggling operations based on legal delivery services. “Dabakatel” not only dramatizes this – it forces the audience to face.
A tough show and be with you…
“Dabba Cartel” produced by Excel Entertainment and directed by Hitesh Bhatia is more than just a crime thriller. It's a story of despair, strategy and survival. The show’s clear storytelling, layered characters and real environment make it worth mentioning, but its cultural resonance makes it memorable.
It also arrives digital audiences eager to get local but global, familiar but bold content to arrive. and “Dabba Cartel” offers – a twist.
If you are looking for a show that blends novels with the flavor of real crime, “Dabakatel” is not only worth watching, but also worth mentioning. Because sometimes, the most dangerous story is the hidden story.
Written by: Sanjana Thakur, intern.
