Ever since the first look of Shabana Azmi’s Dabba Cartel was revealed, audiences have been drawing comparisons between the Netflix series and Dimple Kapadia’s 2023 web show Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo. However, Shabana Azmi has dismissed these similarities, calling her show ‘realistic’.
During an interaction with India Today Digital, the veteran actress acknowledged that she initially shared the same concerns.
“Prior to watching the show, I was concerned that we would be directly compared to the show. However, Shibani (Shibani Akhtar, creator of Dabba Cartel) was confident and assured me that it won’t happen. Seeing her belief, I was also relieved. And when I watched the show, it was really a well-made show, but it is quite different from ours,” she said.
She further elaborated that after watching Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, she realised how different the two shows actually are. “They have a completely different setup, quite exotic. Their outfits are very unique, and they also have a specific dialect. Our show is very realistic, about these middle-class women. Hence, I really don’t think there is any comparison,” she stated.
Unlike Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, which featured a stylised, almost surreal portrayal of a matriarch-led drug cartel, Dabba Cartel is rooted in the reality of middle-class women navigating unexpected circumstances.
The series, backed by Excel Entertainment, boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Jyotika, Anjali Anand, Gajraj Rao, Shalini Pandey, Sai Tamhankar, and Nimisha Sajayan.
While both shows explore themes of women stepping into unconventional roles, Dabba Cartel appears to offer a more grounded narrative, showcasing a different take on female-led crime dramas.
Dabba Cartel released on February 28 and it has received mixed reviews from the audiences and critics.
