The Netflix series Dabba Cartel made us privy to the lives of certain intriguing characters who set out to make some extra money, but in the process, they made some really bad choices and got stuck in a mess. So let’s get to know these characters in depth and find out how their lives got intertwined and how their choices determined their fate.
Spoiler Alert
Raji
An innocent and timid housewife, Raji decided to hide Viagra tablets inside her tiffin boxes and sell them secretly to their customers. Raji knew that what she was doing was wrong, but she also knew that she wasn’t really committing any crime. There were people out there who were suffering from sexual health problems, and Raji felt that, in a way, she was just helping them. Raji was doing everything she could to collect enough money to go to Germany with her husband, Hari. She knew that the moment Hari’s office decided to transfer him to Germany, the family would need resources to sustain themselves there. Raji didn’t need anything for herself, but she aspired for a good life, not knowing that in the near future, she would get stuck in a mess.
Sheila
It could be said that Sheila, aka Kashi Tai, was the leader of the Dabba Cartel, the one who had been a part of the Mumbai mafia world but had retired when things got too hairy. Sheila had realized that indulging in all sorts of illegitimate businesses was something that gave her an unparalleled adrenaline rush. There was no need for her to get involved in her daughter-in-law’s business, but she knew that without her help, Raji wouldn’t be able to deal with the mess she was stuck in. I believe in season 2, Sheila will become the new kingpin of the drug world, though she will have to fight the status quo created by gangsters like Chacko to keep her family safe.
Mala
Mala was Raji’s house help, and she was the one who started selling vitality pills to the customers together with Raji. Mala wanted to earn enough money to be able to send her daughter to a good school and have a comfortable life. Mala was a pragmatic woman, and she knew how the world functioned. She had seen how respect could be bought with money, and she was ready to go to extreme lengths to give her daughter everything that she had never had. Nobody would have ever come to know about her side hustle if her boyfriend hadn’t intervened and blackmailed her into selling marijuana for him. The day Raji and Mala started selling marijuana, things went downhill, and before they could do anything, they realized that there was no turning back for them.
Shahida
Shahida was the broker who gave Raji and Mala a convenient flat to carry out their business from, and that’s how she got acquainted with the women. Shahida had no clue what Mala and Raji were up to, but once she got to know about it, she willingly became a part of the group. Shahida, too, toiled day and night just so that she could afford a comfortable lifestyle. Shahida was not scared of taking risks, but she hadn’t imagined that her life would turn upside down in the manner that it did after partnering with Raji and Mala.
Varuna
Varuna was not happy in her marriage, and that became one of the primary reasons why she got involved with Sheila, Raji, and the others. Varuna’s husband, Shankar, who worked at VivaLife, a pharmaceutical company, didn’t want his wife to work after they had their baby. Varuna didn’t mind taking on the responsibilities, but she felt that it ought to be her choice to decide whether she wanted to work or not. When Varuna found out that her husband had gone behind her back and declined a job offer from VivaLife on her behalf, she was livid, and in a fit of rage, she did something to teach Shankar a lesson. I believe that although Varuna was really disappointed in Shankar, she will not leave his side in season 2 and that both of them will overcome the challenges that come their way.
Hari
Hari, Raji’s husband, had a big dream, and he was desperate to be transferred to the German branch-office of VivaLife. Hari knew how to play his cards, and he was ready to do anything to get in the good books of his superiors, especially Shankar, but Hari’s world fell apart when he got to know that his own mother had been hiding certain secrets from him. He had realized over a period of time that Raji and Sheila were up to something, though until the end of season 1, he was unable to figure out what exactly they were doing behind his back. I have a feeling that if there is a season 2, we might find Hari helping the Dabba Cartel and, in the process, realizing his dreams of going to Germany.
Shankar
Shankar was an employee of VivaLife, and he was the one who, back in the day, had overlooked the entire manufacturing process of Stravinol and then repackaged it as Modella. Shankar knew that if things didn’t go as planned, then his own company would make him a scapegoat. He knew that he had done something really shady in the past that could have serious legal consequences, and after the news of his involvement in the distribution of banned drugs became public, he just didn’t know how to deal with it.
Bhowmick Bose
Bhowmick Bose was the whistleblower who leaked the news about VivaLife and Shankar’s involvement in the production and distribution of Modella, the pill that contained a banned compound called fentanyl. Bhowmick was a part of the manufacturing team when the company produced Stravinol and distributed it in the US market. Up to that point, it had not been made illegal by the US authorities. Bhowmick was made the scapegoat after the news of Modella being produced by the pharma giant came to light. It was Varuna who gave Bhowmick crucial evidence against VivaLife and Shankar, and Bhowmick couldn’t resist his impulse to wage war against the people who had destroyed his life.
Chacko
Chacko, the man who had a monopoly over the production and distribution of a party drug called MDMA in Mumbai, got to know that there was a new drug in the market called Mithai that has become quite popular in the recent past. He learned that Moushumi, his employee, had helped Sheila and others manage their distribution channels. Chacko, at the end of season 1, called the ladies and told them that they would be working for him from that day onwards. Chacko was a dangerous man, and we saw what he was capable of doing in season 1. I believe that Chacko somehow underestimated Sheila, which will surely become the reason for his downfall in season 2.
Chavan
Chavan was the man for whom Mala’s boyfriend worked. Chavan was not as powerful as Chacko, but he still had enough power to threaten Sheila and the others. At the end of season 1, Chavan stole their leftover stock of Modella, and I believe Sheila will take Chacko’s help to get it back from him. I believe Chavan won’t become a big problem for the Dabba Cartel, as Chacko will take care of him. Either Chavan will start working for Chacko, or I believe he will be eliminated.
Moushumi
Moushumi was Sheila’s longtime friend, and we learned that back in the day, both the ladies worked together in the Mirza gang. Moushumi and Sheila both got into a mess 30 years ago, and they took certain steps to safeguard their lives. Moushumi, just like Sheila, wanted to retire and go someplace where nobody recognised her. She knew the perils of being in the drug business, and she was tired of everything. She wanted to make a fresh start, but she was too naive to realize how difficult it would be. Moushumi, at the end of season 1, paid a heavy price for her loyalty and her friendship, and I believe that her sacrifice will act as a catalyst and fuel Sheila’s motives and intentions.
Preeti and Ajit Pathak
Ajit Pathak, the FDSCO officer, needed a local police officer to help him carry out his investigation against VivaLife. He wanted a male cop, but instead, he was asked to work with sub-inspector Preeti Jadhav. It took time for Preeti to make Pathak realize that she, too, had the potential to help investigate and find the truth. Preeti and Pathak had very different ways of working, but I believe that over a period of time, they developed a sort of mutual understanding and respect towards each other. Preeti was romantically involved with Shahida, though until the last episode, she didn’t have any clue that her beau was a part of the Dabba gang. Preeti hadn’t told Pathak anything about it, and it would be interesting to see what she does and how she manages this conflict between her personal and professional life in season 2.
