Dabba Cartel (Season 1)
Introduction
The commentary on gender discrimination is pretty evident in the two contrasting parallel plot points in the new Hindi show Dabba Cartel. One plot point involves the investigation behind the illegal use of a drug that is being produced by a pharma company, and the other plot point involves a simple dabba service carried out by two ladies Raji (Shalini Pandey) and her maid Mala (Nimisha Sajayan). Interestingly, you see the involvement of males in the first plot point (involving the investigation), wherein both the hunter and the supposed hunted belong to the same gender. It is almost a creation of the universe (in the first plot point) wherein men think they are the protagonists. Ironically, their involvement in the second plot point is next to negligible, almost being oblivious of the activities of the ladies. Interestingly, it is the ladies who often slip under the radar even while carrying out drugs in their respective tiffin boxes, initially to even out the debt of a local drugs supplier, and later on to form their own distribution chain in what a character jokes to be Narcos Thane (the drama is set in Thane). But if you choose to deep dive into this world, you will realise that the commentary on women empowerment is a result of chauvinism issues by the men of this world, only for the tables to turn for them!
Story & Screenplay
Written by Bhavna Kher, the two contrasting themes of the two storylines are perfectly demarcated with the characters of the world in a clever sense of world-building. Raji is content being the vulnerable housewife who sets up a small business of her own, even while dreaming of a better future in Germany with her husband Hari (Bhupendra Singh Jadawat) who works for a company called VivaLife (as a faithful mid-manager) which is under the radar of investigation for the illegal supply of a drug. On the surface, Hari is affable and shares a decent equation with his wife, but the idea of Raji having to ‘work from home’ tells us a different story. Raji’s business partner Mala is a house maid and at the receiving end of the derogatory statements of the society due to her lower socio-economic strata. For instance, she doesn’t like the security guard calling her a kaam wali bai (servant), while aspiring a better life for her young daughter. Raji’s mother-in-law Sheila (an incredible Shabana Azmi) is stoic with her demeanor but otherwise just there as a furniture in her house (much like how elderly personnel are perceived to be unfortunately). She is hardly noticed by Hari, who doesn’t even have an eye-contact with her. Hence, the motivation of starting a cartel is through Sheila who wishes ‘probably’ to feel-alive again given her tryst with the world of crime, even as it is a case of making money for Mala and a reluctant Raji in the events of the film.
You are also introduced to Varuna (Jyotika) running an attire business of her own. Varuna seems to be from a well to-do family with a supposedly loving husband and a child, but the closer to move towards her, the more you realise her distance with Shankar (Jisshu Sengupta). In a scene when confronted, the latter retorts saying that he had to take a decision of opting Varuna out of his company VivaLife because ‘their child was small’, and he needed ‘someone’ to take care of her. This may seem a fleeting moment, but it highlights the subtle degrees of misogyny that laces the narrative here, even while acting as a trigger point for Varuna to join the dabba clan. Elsewhere, you are introduced to Shahida (Anjali Anand) who is just looked upon as a broker (and paid peanuts) before sharing a comforting bond with Preeti (Sai Tamhankar). In a scene, you see them in a more intimate space wherein Shahida wishes to leave the country and settle in a place where ‘same-sex relationships’ are legal. When being reminded by Preeti that it no longer is a criminal offence in the country, Shahida reminds her that it isn’t the law that is an issue, it is the mindset. The brief gender discrimination also extends to Preeti. In her introductory scene, you see the drug-control inspector Ajit (Gajraj Rao) request the local cops to assign a ‘male’ cop given the ‘powerful’ opponents that he has to face. For Preeti, it was a glimmer of hope that she didn’t want to miss out on!
The proceedings clearly work on the dynamics of the characters with clear cut gender demarcations, even while briefly entering the black comedy space. So in a scene involving Raji, Mala and Shahida being stuck with a local drugs supplier, their supposed attempt at escaping remains hilarious. You see Shahida trying to swipe a bowl of hot water on the supplier, only to miss by a huge margin. But what these scenes also highlight is the inferiority complex of a few ‘female’ characters here, who have up until then being burdened by the male dominance. Yet in that very same scene, you see the entry of Sheila who doesn’t flinch a muscle while looking straight into the eyes of the supplier who threatens them with their lives. It is clear that it is Sheila who would be leading this pack into an unassuming world of crime while challenging the male gaze.
There is also a recurring theme on how these females are accustomed to be silent working ‘objects’ under the observation of the male gaze. In a scene when a character is formulating a drug, Raji compares it to preparing a biryani, and the steps that are undertaken for a delicious output. In another scene, you see Raji suggesting the use of food colour to differentiate between similar looking drugs (interestingly, they even call this new drug ‘Mithai’, symbolic of sweets prepared by them). Even earlier, the drug segregation takes place in the form of a ‘bindi’ used as a technique to distinguish between packets. It is clear here that the women are working in the environmental blind spots, that in a way works as a huge advantage for them in operating a cartel that often slips under the radar of the society. I also liked how the men are not vilified either – you see a genuine sense of care from Hari towards a pregnant Raji, willing to drop her to her ‘work’ location, and promising to polish off his dabba while witnessing the trauma on Raji’s face. Even Ajit after a point gets accustomed to the presence of Preeti in his life, trusting her with crucial calls while he is away for a parallel investigation. In a scene, you also see him ordering a ‘one by two’ soup, that symbolizes equality in their relationship.
The twists and turns in the screenplay do keep you invested even while the drama never quite chooses to exploit the themes of feminism by using cartel as its driving theme. The drama doesn’t focus on the repercussions of the cartel with respect to the society bleeding from it, while only using the cartel as a gaze of women employment in an otherwise male dominated setup. But even this theme is evened out with the recurring theme of gender discrimination when a late entrant of a character, chooses to take control of the all-female cartel. It is ultimately the women being pitted against a male ego willing to call the shots that essentially formulates the final act. I did have minor issues with the media angle of the exposé that did convolute the drama and marginally skew its theme. The missing link for me was more in line with the state of the media today versus showcasing an unrealistic portrayal of the media in the drama (particularly when the story itself was huge). But the setup for the second season is promising, thereby summing up its screenplay that made for a sparkling watch.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues seem conversational, but the lines have traces of social commentary lacing the narrative that offers a balance of black comedy and moments of poignancy. The music and the BGM does enough to elevate the drama at regular junctures of the screenplay. The cinematography definitely has a heavy influence of Breaking Bad and Narcos, with its imageries even while allowing the viewers to peek into the psyche of the characters and be invested in their journeys. The frames also offer a stark reminder on the two Mumbais that exist – the narrow bylanes of Thane soaked in rain paint a very different picture from the scenic landscapes of South Bombay as viewed from a high-rise building. The editing remains crisp and sharp while wonderfully ensuring that the two parallel timelines are seamlessly interlinked without any patchy undertones. Director Hitesh Bhatia (previously directed Sharmaji Namkeen) does a stellar job with the world building and characterization here. There is a genuine affinity to showcase the contrasting lifestyles of the two genders, that doubles up as a commentary on gender discrimination. He maintains a firm grip on the proceedings while staying committed and never losing sight of the original source material, that makes for a wonderful piece of direction.
Performances
The performances are brilliant by the members of the ensemble cast and kudos to casting director Yash Nagarkoti for this grand assembly. Mansi Sehgal as Young Moushumi, Vidhi Shukla as Young Sheila, Sunil Grover as Chacko, Ritu Sharma as Aditi and Nazneen Madan as Shailaja have a wonderful screen presence and they manage to impress with their respective characters. Prateik Pachori as Santosh is natural to the core and leaves a stellar impact in his brief role. Vivek Madaan as Vinay has a calming presence wherein he delivers a dignified performance. In a sharp contrast to his business partner Shankar, you see Vinay almost being a gentler version of a man that lace his interactions with Varuna. There is a sense of courtsey that Vivek wonderfully brings to his character. Santanu Ghatak as Bhowmick is such a natural onscreen even while having to showcase his vulnerabilities with angst in a scene. Yet, there is a trace of dark humour that you witness as an after-taste in his performance that adds depth to his character while highlighting his hopeless state given his situation. Lillete Dubey as Moushami has a lot of poise with her act and she remains beautifully understated through and through. Sushmita Mukherjee is such a fine actor having an iconic flair for comedy. And she scores wonderfully well with her character of Mrs Tijori.
Bhupendra Singh Jadawat as Hari is an interesting character given the complex dynamics that he encounters with people around him. He aspires to be a faithful boot-licker for his boss, almost volunteering to take care of the mess that is created. He also aspires to be a loving husband, wishing for his family to settle in Germany. But his flaw lies in the balancing act, and this grey area was nicely highlighted through his layered performance. Gajraj Rao as Ajit is outstanding with his minimalistic approach while utilizing his body language and subtle expressions beautifully. Jisshu Sengupta as Shankar remains vile and calculative while almost holding onto his rage in every scene. There is a simmering tension waiting to erupt in scenes featuring him, and that adds to the intrigue of the proceedings too. Sai Tamhankar as Preeti is a character dealing with issues of her own. She aspires for recognition in a male dominated world, while also concealing her identity of being a queer (and interesting also that she is a cop, often referred to an occupation of hyper masculinity). Keeping that in mind, her performance is subtly impactful while briefly being torn between her duty and her love, that makes for a wonderful impact.
Anjali Anand has got to be one of the most talented performers doing the rounds. As Shahida, you are privy to her boisterous version that she often uses as a shield. You can see that she doesn’t belong to Thane/Maharashtra while trying her best to blend with the locals (she speaks in broken Marathi with Preeti at the police station). And that has been her life – searching for her identity and living a peaceful life in a queer-accepted country. All these vulnerabilities are put together in a sparkling performance that adds humour and intensity to the proceedings in equal measures.
Nimisha Sajayan is once again incredible here. If you were to tell me before Dabba Cartel that Nimisha would actually play a Maharashtrian character while nailing her accent, I would have laughed it off. But one glance at her immaculate performance and it was absolutely a knockout! The range that she possesses as a performer is unparalleled, while highlighting the insecurities of the character of Mala wonderfully well. She status-quo remained her biggest deal that she brought that aspect of her character with subtle bouts of humour.
Jyotika as Varuna remains a screen stealer with a character that finds herself in a sea of debt, while sharing a strained relationship with her husband. Yet, she remains assertive and a natural progression to being the glue of the group. In another world, she could have been Sheila, fighting the male dominance with a sense of poise. But her chooses to use her vulnerabilities to act as a catalyst in turning tables for her and her husband.
Shalini Pandey as Raji is the most vulnerable of the group simply because she remains the most reluctant. She is content with her life, not wishing to branch out into a world of crime. Amd her reluctance may have arose from the fact that she was restricted to the four walls of her home. Her inferiority complex is for everyone to witness, being the first person to crack while also ironically choosing her husband when given a fatal choice at the end. There are layers to Raji that are beautifully explored by Shalini in a subtly impactful performance.
Shabana Azmi as Sheila aka Ba remains the real deal here. Her stoic expressions with an unflinching attitude remain intimidating, in a character that isn’t afraid to pounce her dominance on patriarchy. In fact, the idea of the cartel along with rounds of negotiations are brought about by her, just so that she feels ‘alive’ once again. This was a powerful portrayal of a woman that isn’t afraid of the male power dynamics around her. She is willing to hold fort, only briefly showcasing her vulnerability at the end when the loss is personal. It was a magnificent acting masterclass by Shabana Azmi in what was a towering performance of the highest order.
Conclusion
The first season of Dabba Cartel is a subtle commentary on gender discrimination packaged in a trippy food for thought dabba that makes for a solid watch. Available on Netflix.
