Dabba Cartel: Shibani Dandekar reveals where she got idea for Shabana Azmi-led show; ‘I was watching a lot of…’

The television series titled “Dabba Cartel,” featuring Shabana Azmi, has earned both audience and critical acclaim. In a recent chat, its writer Shibani Dandekar disclosed the show’s creative origins. As it turns out, she was captivated by crime dramas during that period, finding it invigorating to portray female characters within the realm of crime storytelling.

During an interview with Firstpost, Shibani Dandekar discussed the motivations behind Dabba Cartel and the extensive research conducted during its production. She revealed her desire to create a captivating and original narrative, which was significantly impacted by the crime dramas she had been consuming at that time.

She discovered that the concept of portraying women within crime narratives was incredibly captivating. With India’s rich tapestry of cultures in mind, she chose to concentrate on a particular environment – Thane and a residential complex – as she felt it would make an excellent stage for depicting middle-class ladies.

Shibani made clear that the female characters in the show aren’t inherently criminal; rather, they find themselves unwillingly drawn into the drug trade due to unforeseen circumstances, and have to learn to maneuver through this challenging predicament.

She found the concept extremely captivating for a story, particularly with Thane serving as the setting and an authentic Indian dabba service playing a key role. Moreover, she emphasized that working on the project was an enriching educational experience, and everyone involved had a collective vision for the series.

During a recent conversation over Zoom, Shibani reminisced about her path in creating the series, emphasizing each phase of production as enriching educational steps. She underlined the fact that despite the importance of advanced planning, actually living through the process offers a unique perspective.

She openly acknowledged her gratitude towards the director and producers, acknowledging their significant role in guiding her throughout every stage. Reflecting on the trip, she deemed it enlightening, confessing that she had initially underestimated just how much there was to learn.

In significant roles for the series “Dabba Cartel” are actresses such as Shabana Azmi, Anjali Anand, Jyotika, Shalini Pandey, and Gajraj Rao. At this moment, you can watch it on Netflix.

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2025-03-05 14:22