Shabana Azmi addressed comparisons between Netflix’s Dabba Cartel and Dimple Kapadia’s Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, highlighting Dabba Cartel’s realistic portrayal of middle-class women.
Shabana Azmi’s Dabba Cartel started streaming on Netflix from February 28.
Shabana Azmi, who headlines Netflix’s latest offering Dabba Cartel, addressed her show’s comparisons with Dimple Kapadia’s JioHotstar series, Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo. The 74-year-old actor admitted that she was initially worried about facing comparisons with Kapadia’s show. However, she was relieved when she saw her daughter-in-law Shibani Akhtar’s (co-creator of Dabba Cartel) belief and grit in the project.
“Prior to watching the show, I was concerned that we would be directly compared to the show. However, Shibani [Shibani Akhtar] 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,” Shabana Azmi told India Today.
She further added, “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.”
Netflix’s Dabba Cartel revolves around the journey of five middle class women who run a dabba (lunchbox) business which leads them to the dangerous world of drug cartel. It features an ensemble cast of Shabana Azmi, Jyotika, Shalini Pandey, Anjali Anand, Nimisha Sajayan, and others.
The show is produced under Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment banner, with Shibani, Vishnu Menon, Gaurav Kapur, and Akanksha Seda as creators. It is co-written by Bhavna Kher and Vishnu Menon. The series is now available for streaming on Netflix.
As for Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo, the JioHotstar show released in 2023 to mixed reviews. Dimple Kapadia plays Rani Ba, the matriach who believes in empowering the women of her village. She runs a drug cartel under the shield of a handicraft business called Rani Cooperative. The show also features Angira Dhar, Radhikka Madan, Isha Talwar, and Naseeruddin Shah.
