After a successful outing, Maharaj, last year, actor Shalini Pandey’s latest release, Dabba Cartel, also earned her rave reviews. However, her entry into the industry wasn’t smooth, as her debut film, Jayeshbhai Jordaar (2022), didn’t do well at the box office: “When you do a film like that, with such a strong character to play, it’s amazing. But my heart broke when it didn’t work. When everything looks great and you feel like people will love you, but it does not play out that way, you feel shattered.”

Then, her Maharaj co-stars Junaid Khan and Sharvari were spoken about more than her after the project’s success. Did that impact her? “It’s not in my hand. I do not remember how I felt, because I move on quickly. I am someone who gets done with my work, takes the love or the feedback and just move on,” she answers.

Shalini adds, “Earlier, I wasn’t kind to myself. When Jayeshbhai Jordaar didn’t work, I became harsh on myself. But it taught me why it’s important to take pride in one’s journey.”

Rich praise has been a frequent feature in Shabana Azmi’s career. It’s not surprising then that the actor’s latest release, Dabba Cartel, continues to be appreciated over a month after it began streaming. “The response I’m personally receiving is overwhelming,” she exclaims.

With Dabba Cartel, director Hitesh Bhatia has given us an unusual crime drama where five women—portrayed by Azmi, Jyotika, Nimisha Sajayan, Shalini Pandey and Anjali Anand—ingeniously run a drug cartel under the guise of a food delivery service.

Azmi shares, “The answer to its success lies in its writing. Plus, the director was clear in his vision. Also, a special thumbs up to Shibani [Akhtar, creator] who didn’t ask for favours just because she is Farhan’s [Akhtar, producer] wife.” Tell her it’s being referred to as the Indian version of Breaking Bad, and she says, “I haven’t seen Breaking Bad. So, I can’t comment.”

The Netflix series’ potential was not lost on her when she read the script. But the senior actor considered it a gamble. “We never thought that a women-led crime drama would become so popular. It was a gamble that paid off. I call it a gamble because there are no women-led crime drama series [in India]. Women are largely relegated to playing the victim, moll or seductress.”

Leading the drug ring is Azmi’s Sheilaben, a cold and calculative woman. Was it tough to play such a restrained character, emoting through one’s silences?

“Experience helps an actor to calibrate the performance. I worked on the look and added the Gujarati dialect to make her more interesting. The most challenging bit was that I had to play her differently from Godmother [1999]. Sheila’s power is more muted,” she reflects.

With Dabba Cartel, her daughter-in-law Shibani has forayed into writing. The Akhtar fold is populated with writers, beginning with Javed Akhtar, his filmmaker-children Farhan and Zoya as well as their mother Honey Irani.

Asked if she has ever considered penning a script, Azmi says, “I can never write. It’s a specialized skill and not everyone can do it, although many try it almost in a cavalier fashion. I come from a writer’s family and have the highest regard for writers. I’m happy being an actor.”

Shalini Pandey is currently revelling in the love she is receiving for her role in the web series, Dabba Cartel.

Ask about navigating the genre of crime with a largely female cast and the actor calls the experience “liberating”. “So many women in small towns and rural areas are trying to free themselves from the moral aspects of society. To see them taking charge and not being victims is absolutely liberating,” she says.

After playing a strong female character, would she take on her debut film Arjun Reddy (2017) if it were offered to her today? Shalini replies, “I had a lot of conviction at that time. Now that I think of it, I might have added a little more to it. But I feel the rawness was for the best, because the character needed that. Having said that, I would pick up the role, but maybe have different conversations with my director.”

As for Dabba Cartel, the 31-year-old stars alongside actor Shabana Azmi, something she credits her mum for. “My mum kind of manifested Shabana ma’am into my life. When I got into the film industry, she kept saying that she wished I would get to work with Amitabh Bachchan and Shabana Azmi,” she ends.