Dabba Cartel Trailer Launch: Shabana Azmi, Jyothika & Stars Shine

Dabba Cartel Trailer Launch: Food comes in tiffins, but who would have thought that along with the food, something else could be packed inside, like drugs? Yes, this is the concept of Netflix's new web series Dabba Cartel. On Tuesday, February 18th, the trailer of Dabba Cartel was launched in a grand event held in Mumbai. Many stars and makers associated with the show graced the event.

Stars Shine at Netflix Dabba Cartel Trailer Launch Event

The event saw the presence of Shabana Azmi, South actress Jyothika Saravanan, Shalini Pandey, Bhupendra Singh Jadhawat, Jisshu Sengupta, Sai Tamhankar, Anjali Anand, Lillete Dubey, Gajraj Rao, producer Farhan Akhtar, creators Shibani Dandekar, film producer Ritesh Sidhwani, and Netflix India’s Vice President of Content, Monika Shergill, among others.

Shabana Azmi & Jyothika Dazzle at Star-Studded Event

Talking about the looks of the stars at the event, actress Shabana Azmi wore a designer outfit, while Shalini Pandey donned a hot pink dress. Sai Tamhankar wore a grey designer coat-suit, Anjali Anand appeared in a blue dress, Lillete Dubey wore royal blue, and Jyothika Saravanan was seen in a designer outfit.

Dabba Cartel Trailer Launch: Shabana Azmi Steals Show

The trailer launch of Dabba Cartel happened in a fun and quirky way. First, food tiffins were placed on everyone’s tables. The host then started opening the tiffins one by one, with the first tiffin revealing a tie, the second one showing a key, and the third one holding a note. As this happened, one by one, people related to the show came up on stage, said a few lines from their characters, and left. Finally, Shabana Azmi, who plays Sheela in the series, came on stage and said, "To survive, sometimes you have to do anything... even become part of Dabba Cartel."

After this, all the makers and cast members from the series were invited on stage.

Dabba Cartel: Farhan Akhtar & Shibani on New Series

Shibani Dandekar, one of the creators of the series, mentioned that this journey has been a long one with many ups and downs, but she’s happy to finally present it to the world. Producer Farhan Akhtar said that when he first heard the title Dabba Cartel, he immediately understood that it would have many layers and reflect things we’ve seen happening in households. He also thanked Abbas-Kassim for their contribution to the show.

During the event, Shabana Azmi humorously shared the reason she joined the series, saying, "It was a family matter. My son is producing it, and my daughter-in-law is making it, so who am I to refuse?"

Gajraj Rao Jokes About Learning Medicines in Dabba

Actor Gajraj Rao mentioned that earlier he had to remember dialogues for his roles, but for Dabba Cartel, he had to remember names of medications. He jokingly added that after working on this show, he could easily pursue a career in the medical field because he now knows so many names of medicines.

Sai Tamhankar on Playing a Cop in Dabba Cartel

Actress Sai Tamhankar shared her experience of playing a police officer in the series. She expressed how happy she was to work with such renowned actors and appreciated the opportunity to be part of such a compelling project.

Jyothika Saravanan on Working with Shabana Azmi

South actress Jyothika Saravanan expressed her joy about her first project with Netflix. She said, "I’m so glad to be a part of this series with two big names like Shabana Azmi and Shibani. It’s a show about women, and I’m proud to say that 75% of our team was made up of women. Since it’s about women’s power, I had no reason to say no to this project."

Jishu Sengupta: Actor Jishu Sengupta shared that he really liked his role in the series. He praised the cast, the story, and the producers, saying there was no reason for him to refuse the offer.

Shalini Pandey: Actress Shalini Pandey mentioned that she always wanted to work with Shabana Azmi and Jyothika Saravanan, and she was thrilled to get the chance to do so in Dabba Cartel. Jyotika also spoke about how most of the team consisted of women, which made her experience working on the series even more enjoyable.

Anjali Anand on Her Role: Actress Anjali Anand, who plays Shahida, a broker in the series, spoke about her character, saying, "I’m portraying a local Mumbai broker in the series, just like the ones who say, 'I have the keys to the flat, you can check it out.' I’m exactly like that in the show."

Lillete Dubey: Veteran actress Lillete Dubey shared her experience of playing a woman who works in a wig shop. She mentioned that the wig was quite uncomfortable, but she loved being part of the series, especially because it had her favorite actress Shabana Azmi and a great cast including Jyotika. Despite her role being small, she enjoyed it thoroughly.

Monika Shergill on the Series: Monika Shergill, Vice President of Content at Netflix India, praised the cast for their excellent performances and mentioned that the series couldn’t have had a better star cast.

Dabba Cartel Trailer Launch: Q&A Session

Farhan Akhtar on Strong Female Leads in Dabba Cartel

When asked about the exciting part of telling the stories of the strong female protagonists in Dabba Cartel, Farhan Akhtar said, "The female characters in the show are portrayed very powerfully, and every actor has done a fantastic job with their roles. As a producer, my job is to bring talent to the forefront."

Shibani Dandekar Opens Up on Her First Project Journey

Shibani Dandekar mentioned that this is her first project, and it’s been a long journey, especially with the challenges of working through COVID. However, she appreciated how the filmmakers and crew supported her throughout.

Shabana Azmi on Being in the Right Place at the Right Time:

Shabana Azmi expressed how happy she was to be in the right place at the right time, working with young talent and being a part of this show.

Shabana Azmi Initially Didn’t Want Jyotika in the Show:

Shabana Azmi shared a funny anecdote, saying that she initially suggested to the makers that they cast someone other than Jyothika Saravanan. But after seeing Jyotika perform, Shabana became a fan of her acting and apologized to her for her earlier suggestion. Jyotika, in turn, touched Shabana’s feet as a gesture of respect.

Shabana Azmi on 50 Years of Change in Hindi Cinema

When asked about changes in the industry over the past fifty years, Shabana Azmi shared her thoughts on the arrival of casting directors, who, in her opinion, freed Hindi cinema from stereotypical characters. She mentioned how actors now prepare thoroughly for their roles, and she even referenced Rishi Kapoor’s film Karma.

Dabba Cartel directed by Hitesh Bhatia will be available for streaming on Netflix starting February 28.