Netflix India has left no horizon untapped. However, if you still find the Indian Series to be a product of Cookie-Cutter.
Netflix India is here to add spice to your Watchlist Dabba , With It’s New Crime-Drama, “Dabba Cartel” – Bet you heard ‘Ghar ki Murgi Daal Barabar’ But Have you Ever Heard, “Ghar ka Dabba, Cartel Barabar”.
What can you Expect?
Dabba Cartel premiered globally on February 28, 2025, exclusively on Netflix. The series comprises 7 episodes, all of which were released simultaneously, allowing viewers to binge-watch the entire season at their convenience.
The series Follows the Storyline of Five housewives, who secretly run a narcotics cartel by smuggling drugs in tiffin boxes. While the world sees them as homemakers, these women are masterminds navigating patriarchy, police, and politics.
What’s Exciting?
- Unheard Premise – Housewives running a drug cartel in Mumbai? That’s not just unheard of – it’s absolutely wild and genius.
- Women-Fronted Crime – Indian OTT Packed with its Male-centric Crime-Drama, finally gets its Breaking Bad with bindis and bangles.
- Cinematic Nostalgia – The art direction takes you straight back to the 60s with immersive set design, vintage cars, and some serious Bombay mood.
How’s the Performances?
All of the Five Leading Ladies have done justice to their Roles, with Shabana Azmi being the Sassy Cartel Queen, and Jyotika brings elegance and ferocity to her role.
Lillete Dubey delivers gut-punching monologues with calm precision. The ensemble is so strong, you never know who’s going to betray whom next. And that’s thrilling.
What’s Not Good?
Some parts do feel stretched, especially side plots about certain husbands that could’ve been trimmed.
In addition, only 2 of the 5 Housewives seem to be getting major screen time & highlighted portrayal. While Others Struggle to be seen.
There’s also a tendency to glamorise crime a bit too much. Not every tiffin smuggler looks this fashionable, but hey, Netflix knows how to serve drama hot.
Conclusion [Spoiler Alert]
The final episode ends with a major betrayal from within the group. One of the housewives trades the rest to the cops in exchange for her daughter’s future.
They didn’t start as criminals – they started as desperate women stuck in the cages of marriage, poverty, and judgment. What began as survival turned into an addiction to power, independence, and control.
Is It Worth Watching?
Absolutely. For the gutsy storytelling, for watching women play the game and win (or lose) on their terms.
Not just a Crime-Drama – it’s an Unfound Explosive in the Dabba.
RATING 3.9 / 5 ⭐
Written by Mansi .B. Singh