Dabba Cartel

Vishnu Menon and Bhavna Kher's story is entertaining, though it does remotely remind one of SAAS BAHU AUR FLAMINGO. Vishnu Menon and Bhavna Kher's screenplay is captivating but certain developments are difficult to digest. Asad Hussain's dialogues (additional dialogues by Vishnu Menon and Bhavna Kher) are conversational. Hitesh Bhatia's direction is great and technically sound. He wins brownie points by setting the show in a city like Thane, which is very rare. He wastes no time and the story begins from the first scene itself. A lot is happening at every moment and he tries his best to ensure that the audience doesn’t get confused despite several characters. The show deals with drugs and while the females are into selling addictive substances, the VivaLife management is trying to hide their past sins. How these tracks merge makes for a great watch.

The one thing that does work for Dabba Cartel is how easily it makes the premise believable. We see these middle-class women way in over their heads, trying to act tough as drug barons. And yet, we believe it because of how it has been presented. The smashing background score and songs add as a nice garnish to it all, setting the tone nicely. But some hollow writing undoes it all.

Dabba Cartel’s reluctant black comedy in the body of a crime thriller starts out interestingly enough to accomplish its Narcos: Thane aspirations.

Dabba Cartel' is a high-stakes drama, but it seems to have overestimated itself. The biggest problem is its inability to put such a stunning and talented all-women cast to the best of use. Another one is how it keeps introducing new plot-lines, making it immensely difficult for you to keep a clear track of what is happening in the story.Â