Dabba Cartel Review: Entertaining, Well-Acted But a Bit Unbelievable

In this thrilling Netflix drama, five ordinary women are about to lead an extraordinary life full of adventures and dangers. What started off as a business venture to supplement their income turns into a thrilling drug operation through which these women must navigate in order to save their lives and livelihoods. What awaits these women in the end?

The series has 7 episodes, each with a runtime of around 45-50 minutes.

Dabba Cartel Review

It’s not every day we find several talented women in one show handling a dabba service that is a front for a drug empire, but when we do, it’s nothing short of thrilling. Netflix’s Dabba Cartel, starring some very well-known names in India, showcases five women banding together to do something for themselves as they are surrounded by men who constantly make them feel unseen. It’s an oddly empowering series, even though it’s about selling drugs and all, but there’s something very tense in the background that viewers will find hard to ignore.

It’s not just about the drugs. The entire situation involving the different women and their circumstances is what feels so raw and relatable. From Hari steamrolling Raji’s needs to Preeti desperately trying to crack the case in order to be seen and respected by those around her, it’s a very emotional take on women’s plights in everyday life that often goes unseen. There’s also a discussion surrounding women trying to find something that excites them, other than making meals every day and watching serials. It’s an interesting insight, although I obviously don’t support getting into the drug business.

The most interesting part of Dabba Cartel, however, is Shabana Azmi, whose motivations and general air of confidence are something no one can look away from. The series is presented well, weaving in and out of two different parts of this story in order to paint the overall picture. It’s a thrilling chase and the way the story jumps from one point to another not only weaves it together, but it also increases our thrill because we have to wait for the next thing to happen.

That being said, I won’t lie and say that everything about this Netflix series is believable. The heights that the story goes to get a bit out of hand towards the end, and the goal of the story loses itself a bit. It tries to overdo its plots, especially the dabba service one because it’s a little difficult to accept that five women with little to no resources pull off these things. Without getting into too many specifics, I think I had the hardest time accepting people’s decisions and choices above anything else because it made me think of them as naive.

There are a few moments when viewers will find themselves confused about the logic. The story, and the women’s fates, shift at a particular point when Raji, Mala and Shahida are given an opportunity to sell more than just weed. However, I couldn’t help but wonder why a particular character would make such an odd decision, considering how they were all shocked about the price of the drug. I am deliberately being vague so as not to give away any spoilers, but it doesn’t go with the situation and takes away from the characters’ growth. It, sadly, also makes us question their intellect.

The series gets more and more insane the more we go towards the end of the runtime. The performances will leave you hooked but the storyline becomes so unrealistic that it’s hard to take it seriously. I will give credit where credit is due though — I think what the series showcases surrounding pharmaceutical companies, their shady practices and fake trials is a very important and interesting concept. I just didn’t like the way that they go about it.

In the end, Dabba Cartel ends on a cliffhanger and an unknown end for our five women. Everyone will clearly play more games, Sheila has reached the end of her rope and things will get more over the top if we see another season. Now, whether or not you will be satisfied with how things are left off will completely depend on how much you believe in the plots of the series, but I think it’s extremely entertaining in a nonsensical way and I found myself oddly hooked throughout its runtime.

Final Thoughts

Dabba Cartel is entertaining if you can unsee its flaws. Sometimes it gets very far-fetched and implausible but it’s the protagonists’ performances and the underlying messaging that draws you to it. Unfortunately, it will test your patience more often than not.

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