Shabana Azmi, who single handedly brings grace and power to bollywood, deserved better than Dabba Cartel where an elite cast is wasted in an underwhelmingly mindless crime thriller. Her mystique is what sets the Azmi apart. But instead, she gets served with slow thrillers where half the drama is missing and the other dimly placed. Directed by {director’s name}, ‘Dabba Cartel’ leaves behind underwhelming, dull twists and quotes from her best films instead of promising drama filled with chaos. The director in turn completely misses the point and leaves comedic undertones throughout the drama wishing that the viewers would somehow enjoy it.
Shabana Azmi: The One Woman Army
At least in her latest iteration where she plays [cahracter name: e.g., merciless smuggling queen], she is the beacon of hope in the darkness that this film portrays. Her unique and strong voice accompanied by her signature delivery creates brief happy moments within this muddle of chaos. That aside, a scene where she [describe a key moment: e.g., “calmly bargains over disgrace during a cup of chai”] does however stand out amidst the cd, ‘Grammy’. Unfortunately, her greatness is dip in the excessive dreaded agonizing sluggishness.
Given how it has been shown, her unmatched greatness won’t even be close to helping the lifeless bland script.
Where ‘Dabba Cartel’ Crashes and Burns
This movie commits the most heinous crime of all – it wastes talent. Filled with an ensemble cast of including [Co-star Names], this film drowns in its use of blunt wordplay, and its actors’ thousand-yard stares. ‘Dabba Cartel’ is a mix of smuggling, betrayal, and revenge many of which are undone with the speed of a sluggish sloth who is under heavy sedation. Subplots fail to develop, ‘heart-stopping’ turns are excruciatingly clear, and the climax? An absurd cop-out, leaving one to wonder with a meager, “That is it?”
Even worse, the pacing is intolerably slow. The car simulations, chase scenes, and showdowns lack adrenaline and excitement. The contrived speeches that recount ‘family loyalty’ seem like they belong to a trashy 90s movie. By the 45 minute mark, expect to be glancing at your phone or “accidentally” reaching for the remote.
Audience Response: Rage, ‘Memes’, and Shyness
Social media are not shying away from expressing their opinion. “Dabba Cartel’s only twist is how it made 2 hours feel like 2 years,” noted one user on Twitter. Many more mocked the movie saying “If something like boredom was to have a film, this would take the Oscar.” Even Azmi’s supporters joined and screamed, “Get her out of this dumpster fire, please!”
Director’s Mistake: Digital Prayer Spaces Over Real Ones
The director’s choice to put in some neo-noir elements is absurd – putting in moody close ups or putting static shots of blowing smoke ridden rooms. It’s clear there is no soul within. Seeing the level of style “writing” is attempting to achieve means that there is not enough thought put into the story itself. A leaner cut with a few pages for script changes might have saved this cartel, but here we are leaving potential rotting on the shelf.
Conclusion: Watch Or Not Watch?
Dabba cartel is a clear example of potential cast aside. Shabana Azmi’s performace is the only silver lining for this marathon of boredom and dreadful dialogues – atleast watch it at 2x speed. For everyone else? Forget it and watch Kahaani or Gangs of Wasseypur. Your time (and sanity) will thank you.
Reason Why It Is Important:
Dabba Cartel is a severe miss with a low possibility of a redemption arc. It goes to show that even Shabana Azmi can not single handedly save a sinking ship. Where is the respect for an OTT business so filled with strong shows? Let’s pray this cartel does not get a follow up.
