‘Dabba Cartel’ is a Hindi-language crime drama created by Shibani Akhtar, Vishnu Menon, Gaurav Kapur, and Akanksha Seda. The series follows five middle-class women whose simple lunchbox delivery business unexpectedly entangles them in the criminal underworld.
A report states that Raji and her business partner, Mala, initially establish their tiffin service as a legitimate venture, but it soon becomes a cover for small-scale marijuana distribution. As their involvement deepens, Raji discovers an unlikely ally in her mother-in-law, Sheila, who seems to have past experience in such illicit dealings.
While these women navigate their growing illegal enterprise, a larger scandal erupts involving a dangerous drug infiltrating the Indian market. This drug appears to be linked to the pharmaceutical giant VivaLife, drawing Raji and her associates into a web of deception and power struggles.
As the situation escalates, their once-ordinary lives spiral into dangerous and unforeseen consequences, offering a gripping exploration of crime, corporate corruption, and the Mumbai underworld.
Is ‘Dabba Cartel’ Based on a True Story?
Despite its realistic premise, ‘Dabba Cartel’ is entirely fictional, crafted by director Hitesh Bhatia and a team of writers. The show’s focus on regular women running a secret drug operation through a lunchbox service adds a layer of authenticity, but no known real-life cases directly mirror its story.
However, the concept of using food delivery services for drug trafficking does have real-world parallels. For instance, in 2021, India’s Narcotics Control Bureau busted a drug syndicate in Bengaluru, where dealers used Swiggy, a popular food delivery platform, to distribute high-grade marijuana.
Similarly, in July 2024, a man named Shaik Bilal was arrested in Telangana for smuggling drugs while posing as a food delivery worker. Additionally, there have been reports of “one-dish” restaurants on platforms like Zomato, allegedly serving as fronts for drug or money-laundering operations.
Although ‘Dabba Cartel’ does not directly adapt these events, it reflects a plausible scenario where the city’s lunchbox network intersects with crime. The show’s blend of realism and fiction makes it a compelling narrative, highlighting the hidden dangers lurking behind everyday businesses.
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