Sneha Jaiswal's Blog, page 38
April 5, 2025
M3GAN 2 Dials Down Horror, Amps up Action
If you’ve seen the techno horror movie M3GAN, it’s unlikely that you’ve forgotten the plot, regardless of whether you loved or hated it. For those who didn’t see it, it was all about how a robot called M3GAN, a prototype made by Gemma, gets violently unhinged in her efforts to look after Gemma’s niece Cady. In the end, she is decommisioned, but the creators have decided to bring M3GAN back, since she was such a hit!
Not only is the psycho AI doll back, but she’s got some serious competition.
Plot Twist: Meet Amelia
Two years after M3GAN’s (played by Amie Donald and voiced by Jenna Davis) original rampage, Gemma (Allison Williams) is living her best life as a bestselling author and AI regulation advocate. But, as these things go, a defense contractor steals M3GAN’s tech to create Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), a military-grade robot with a serious attitude problem. Amelia goes rogue, and guess who’s called back into action? That’s right, M3GAN, who demands new upgrades to fight the new menace, which is simply a worse version of herself.
The Trailer: Dancing and Danger
The teaser kicks off with M3GAN busting out her viral dance moves to Chappell Roan’s “Femininomenon.” She winks at the camera and asks, “Miss me?” Well, the answer is – maybe?!
Funnily, the new M3GAN is tweaked into a harmless telly-tubby like body. But when the evil new robot wreaks havoc in town, M3GAN convinces Gemma and others that she can stop Amelia, but only if she is given her old design back… with a few new tweaks. So essentially, this isn’t going to be a creepy horror movie like the first film, but rather a ‘robot vs robot’ action movie.
Directed by Gerard Johnstone, M3GAN 2.0 is set to hit theaters on June 27, 2025. So, clear your schedules, charge your devices, and get ready for a sequel that might be more thrilling than finding an extra fry at the bottom of the bag.
Watch the trailer on YouTube.
‘In Sound, We Live Forever’ Short Film Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
The whirring of a windmill, the rumbling of a car engine, soft tones of a classical song, the sounds of feet crushing grass, the hissing of beer cans… ambient sounds about in the first few seconds of short horror film ‘In Sound, We Live Forever’. It’s almost like you could close your eyes, and still not miss a thing, because the sounds, conversations, carry the tale, at least in the first few minutes.
Directed and written by Joshua Giuliano, the short film stars Drew Marquardt as Charlie and Lucille Sharp as his girlfriend Meredith, a couple on a date in an isolated field. What was supposed to be the scene for an idyllic romantic day, turns into a violent crime scene due to unexpected turn of events.
Joshua Giuliano takes a unique cinematic approach to this 12-minute horror film by focusing on ambient sounds and surroundings, while the human characters can only be heard conversing with each other. It isn’t until much later that we finally see them, and not in the state you’d expect.
While the first few minutes may feel slow, the second half is tense, terrifying, and likely to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The storytelling, especially the cleverly layered background sounds, makes ‘In Sound, We Live Forever’ unfold like a true-crime podcast episode, describing a senseless crime in detail without relying on gratuitous, gory visuals.
There’s more horror in the unknown, with the grisly details left to the viewer’s imagination. If that sounds like your kind of thrill, definitely check this horror flick out.
You can watch the film on YouTube, it’s also embedded below.
‘Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer’ Docu-Series Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
On May 1, 2010, the police received a 911 call from a panicked 24-year-old claiming someone was after her. She was never seen again after that day. The woman, identified as Shannan Gilbert, was an escort, and the police didn’t take her disappearance seriously – at least not until her mother, Mari Gilbert, ensured some media pressure that forced the cops to look for her. The search led to the discovery of multiple skeletons along the same stretch on Long Island, uncovering a shocking case of serial murders.
Spanning three episodes, the Netflix documentary series “Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer” sheds light on how escorts and sex workers are dehumanized by the system. For years, several women went missing around Long Island – yet their disappearances were dismissed due to their profession, allowing a serial killer to remain undetected and active for years.
“They were humans first. They were mothers, sisters, friends…,” Mari Gilbert says in an address to the media, appealing for Shannan’s case to be taken seriously. The police first discovered the remains of four people near Gilgo Beach, leading to their being dubbed the “Gilgo Four” in the media. But the twist? None of them were Shannan. However, since the skeletons were found in burlap, they were investigated as homicide cases and were suspected to be the handiwork of the same killer.
The documentary series features interviews with journalists, police officers, attorneys, and several friends and family members of the victims. Episode two highlights how two high-ranking officers were entangled in allegations of corruption and abuse of power, shedding light on why the Long Island police were slow to act on the missing persons cases. For those who aren’t familiar with Shannan’s case or the “Gilgo Four” case, this three part documentary certainly offers a clear look at how personal biases, public opinions, and media pressure can sway investigations.
Shannan’s case helped crack several long-cold murder investigations that had remained unsolved for nearly a decade. Shockingly, key witness statements that could have led to the serial killer’s arrest within months were initially dismissed and not taken seriously. Ironically, it was those very same statements that ultimately helped investigators identify the killer – once a new officer took over the case and digitized all the old files related to the murders. The official negligence is criminal.
Like many recent Netflix documentaries, this three-part series uses dramatic recreations to represent key events, ensuring the storytelling remains visually engaging. In the third episode, an interview with a relative of the killer offers insight into his mental state, painting a psychological portrait of his mindset. Some of this segment feels somewhat defensive, as though it attempts to justify or explain the accused’s dual Jekyll-and-Hyde behavior.
Although this particular part might feel unnecessary, it does bring a certain fairness to the narrative. It offers viewers the other side of the story, which is something many crime documentaries on Netflix often lack. Usually, family members of the accused are unwilling to appear on camera, and the perspective is limited to friends or neighbors. Overall, this mini-series is highly compelling, particularly for international audiences who may not be familiar with the Long Island Serial Killer case.
Watch the docu-series on Netflix.
Read Next: ‘Con Mum’ Netflix Documentary Review
Also Read: Nadaaniyan Movie Review: Cringe Max (audio version below)
April 3, 2025
Flowers of Evil Vol 4 Review: Kasuga’s Spiral Starts to Flatten
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Complicated romantic teen triangles are the worst, but sometimes the best thing that can happen to someone who can’t choose between two people is to get dumped simultaneously by both. And that’s what happens to protagonist Kasuga at the end of Flowers of Evil Volume 3. Although he isn’t exactly caught in a love triangle, it’s something far more twisted.
Quick recap of Volume 3: After Kasuga tries to run away with Nakamura on a bleak, rainy night, the two are confronted by his panicked girlfriend, Saeki, who fails to understand their relationship. She demands an explanation but receives no concrete answers. In the end, both Nakamura and Saeki decide to walk away from Kasuga—but the trio is soon picked up by the police.
So, Volume 4 of Flowers of Evil begins with a devastated Kasuga being questioned by his parents over his bizarre conduct (stealing a girl’s gym clothes and then trying to run away). His parents, of course, also ask him to apologize to both girls, with no understanding of the complex/weird dynamics between them all.
Shuzo Oshimi also does a one-month time skip in the story, showing Kasuga going through his daily life at school. However, the young boy no longer reads for leisure and mostly keeps to himself. But he has a burning desire to rekindle his twisted relationship with Nakamura. Meanwhile, Saeki seems to have moved on, or at least she puts on a brave face in these chapters, until something pushes her to the brink again.
The primary focus of this volume of Flowers of Evil is on Kasuga’s efforts to figure out how he can go back to being by Nakamura’s side. And he thinks the best way to do that is by proving he really is a “pervert,” and not just another boring “shitbug” who doesn’t deserve any attention from the class bully (Nakamura). Despite the psychological torment and physical humiliation she inflicts on him, Kasuga starts to develop feelings for her, though not in a traditionally romantic way. Shuzo Oshimi deserves credit for portraying the complexities of Stockholm Syndrome, with Kasuga slowly empathizing with his abuser; but the tale is beginning to lose its edge now.
Like I wrote in my review for the previous volume, Shuzo Oshimi should’ve simply found a way to wrap up Flowers of Evil right there. Now it’s getting random, and even though the story isn’t predictable, the acts of “perversion” no longer hold any shock value. The art hasn’t been very impressive either, although I gave the previous volume a higher rating because the tense settings provided a more visceral visual experience.
This time around, neither the art nor the story was as exciting, intriguing, or disturbing anymore. But throughout this volume, there’s a hint that another new classmate might get involved in the story, so perhaps Kasuga’s life might take a fresh turn. However, for now, I really wish the series would’ve ended earlier.
Rating: 2 out of 5. Flowers of Evil is on Kindle Unlimited.
Read Next: ‘The Girl Who Owned a City’ Graphic Novel Review
Also Read: ‘Gel Boys’ Review: Situationship Hell Ft Siam Square (Short Audio Review Below)
Sakamoto Days Season One Part One Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Sakamoto Days Season One Part One has finally ended, and unlike how most people were complaining about how awful the anime is, I quite liked it. Sure, some episodes and scenes were disappointing, but overall, this still manages to be fresh, since it breaks the mainstream norm of having a hot, fit, muscle-y action protagonist, who usually doubles up as a Casanova or heartbreaker. But dude can stop bullets with chopsticks and break swords with his teeth.
Instead, the plot follows Taro Sakamoto, an adorable middle-aged chubby convenience store owner, who used to be the world’s deadliest hitman, but has retired to live a ‘happily married’ life. So, the series kicks off by establishing Sakamoto’s dual life, juxtaposing his formidable past with his domestic present. The rest of the series is about how someone puts out as staggeringly big bounty of Sakamoto’s head, so every second day, a new hitman or assassin turns up at Sakamoto’s store to kill him. These include both former colleagues and new adversaries, challenging Sakamoto’s peaceful existence with his wife and little daughter.
Based on the Japanese manga series by Yuto Suzuki, the 2025 anime adaptation of Sakamoto Days is directed by Masaki Watanabe and produced by TMS Entertainment, the studio behind popular titles like Anpanman, Detective Conan, and Fruits Basket. Throughout the first eleven episodes of ‘Sakamoto Days’ Season One, the series blends over-the-top action sequences (very Rajinikanth style or well ‘Mission Impossible’ style) with humorous character interactions.
Every second episode, a new character is introduced in the tale, and most of them end up being recurring additions. But the two primary action protagonists that are second to only Taro Sakamoto in the show are Shin Asakura and Lu Xiaotang, while the former is a young assassin who can read minds, Lu is the feisty heir of a Chinese mafia family. While Shin is introduced in the very first chapter of ‘Sakamoto Days’, Lu makes her way into the tale in Episode 2. The two become employees at Sakamoto’s store, so it’s usually the trio of Sakamoto, Shin, and Lu, who are constantly getting into violent face-offs with people who want Sakamoto dead. But while they are not out nearly killing their enemies, the Sakamoto gang loves to eat, and hangout together.
The animation quality of ‘Sakamoto Days’ is definitely not at par when compared with contemporaries, but I think the artwork is adequately entertaining and doesn’t disrupt the storytelling. The animation is inconsistent, and the creatives rarely play with styles or colors like the recent hit ‘Dan Da Dan’, where the visuals really stand out and immerse viewers. But some sections in series are quite exciting, like a surprisingly well executed bike chase sequence in Episode 7.
The weirdest thing about the show is how in some episodes, the chubby Sakamoto reverts to his former ‘fit, hot self’, and it makes no sense. Not like him being able to take on all kinds of lethal assassins without breaking a sweat have any logic, but at least we know this show is an exaggerated action-comedy about a fat hitman versus the world, not a shape-shifting fantasy. Sakamoto otherwise is a highly likable protagonist, who rarely talks, and can beat the shit out anybody who tries to harm those close to him. Shin and Lu are his hot-headed young sidekicks, who bring on the laughs with their energetic personalities and arguments. There’s also some mild romance in the show, which is largely some cute flashbacks about how Sakamoto met and fell in love with his wife.
Well, overall, Sakamoto Days Season One Part One offers a quirky blend of action and comedy, anchored by a unique protagonist whose attempts to leave his violent past behind lead to endless entertainment. While there are areas that could benefit from tighter pacing and more consistent animation, the series remains a worthwhile watch for those seeking a fun and action-packed anime experience.
Rating: 3 on 5. You can watch Sakamoto Days on Netflix.
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Also Read: ‘Gel Boys’ Review: Situationship Hell (Short Audio Review below)
April 1, 2025
The Life List Review: Hits the Feels, Skips the Depth
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
You know all those movies and stories about someone suffering from a terminal illness (usually cancer) who makes a list of things they want to do before they die, so they can feel more at peace when the end comes? And if it’s a romance, they’ll even find a life-changing love, have some fun, weep a lot, and then die in the end? Well, the Netflix drama The Life List is in the same territory, with a little tweak – a dying mom revises her will to instruct her favourite daughter to do all the things on a “life goals” list she made as a teen.
Based on Lori Nelson Spielman’s novel of the same name, The Life List is directed by Adam Brooks. The story follows actor Sofia Carson (‘Purple Hearts’/‘Carry-On’) as the primary protagonist, Alex—a young, beautiful woman who works for her mom’s cosmetics company and is dating a guy developing a post-apocalyptic zombie video game. Her friends and family judge her for giving up a teaching career for a more comfortable family position, and for not being married despite being over 30. So, her mom (Connie Britton) thinks pushing Alex out of her comfort zone by making her do things she wanted to try at 13 will change her life. As clichéd as it is… it does.
Essentially, ‘The Life List’ takes its aimless protagonist on a life changing journey, where she does lots of things she always dreamed of, and ends up finding ‘true love’ along the way. Each time Alex crosses something off the list, she gets to watch a video message from her dead mom, which are all cheesy little life lessons. The very cute Kyle Allen plays Brad, Sofia’s friendly, helpful lawyer, who helps her navigate the list, which includes starting teaching again. In the process, Alex also meets the charming intellectual Garrett (Sebastian De Souza) and the two bond over Moby Dick and teen delinquents.
From the trailer and synopsis, I knew ‘The Life List’ was going to be formulaic and predictable. However, the story has its heart in the right place and will appeal to viewers who like a good old tearjerker. It’s nice how the focus of the film isn’t just on Alex finding love, but also meaning in her day-to-day activities, which includes bonding with her siblings and repairing her relationship with her dad.
Sofia Carson feels slightly miscast as Alex – her portrayal leans more toward a “sexy, angsty model” vibe than that of a relatable thirty-something woman grappling with emotional baggage. That said, she still has great chemistry with all the other character in the film, especially with Kyle Allen’s Brad.
I cried more than once while watching this Netflix drama on a plane. The last time I was almost moved to tears while streaming a Netflix movie on a flight was ‘Nadaaniyan’, out of regret. But ‘The Life List’ is a genuine tear-jerker, which can feel contrived at points, yet has its heart in the right place.
Rating: 7 on 10. Watch ‘The List List’ on Netflix.
Read Next: ‘Con Mum’ Netflix Documentary Review
Read Next: ‘Gel Boys’ Review: Situationship Hell (Short Audio Review below)
March 31, 2025
Flowers of Evil Vol 3 Review: Rain, Dirty Laundry, & Tears
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Woah, woah, woah… That Nakamura girl is in some serious need of therapy, the kid’s totally sick, twisted, and shows signs of being someone who could turn into a serial killer. For now, she is just an over-confident bully, but the signs are there. I am not going to be surprised if she simply stabs someone to death! (Not yet, not yet, it’s not a spoiler)
Okay, first let’s quickly recap volume 1 & 2 of ‘Flowers of Evil’ by Shuzo Oshimi: Protagonist Takao Kasuga is a voracious reader with a big crush on class topper Nanaki Saeki. One day, he takes home Saeki’s gym clothes on a whim, and is act is seen by Sawa Nakamura, so the latter starts blackmailing and bullying Kasuga. Scared of being branded a perverted thief, Kasuga becomes Nakamura’s puppet, but things get more complicated when Saeki agrees to date Kasuga. What will happen when she learns the truth?
Volume 2 of ‘Flowers of Evil’ had ended with Nakamura forcing Kasuga to write in the classroom board that he is the pervert who stole Saeki’s gym clothes. So volume 3 begins with an anxious Kasuga heading to school, terrified about his secret finally being out. But in a twist, the blackboard doesn’t contain his name, however, Saeki finds out the truth nonetheless. How Saeki reacts to the truth and how Nakamura continues to manipulate and torment Kasuga forms the rest of volume.
These chapters were super intense, emotionally turbulent, and definitely not middle-school level, but then again, this manga isn’t meant for young readers and is targeted at adults. But regardless, I feel like having older protagonists, teens who were at least in their high-school, would’ve made more sense in ‘Flowers of Evil’, because not just the malevolent Nakamura, but even Kasuga and Saeki behave much much older than their age.
Saeki emerges as the biggest surprise in this volume, while she first seems to be a shy, innocent, studious girl with a kind heart, her actions after finding out Kasuga stole her clothes are quite unexpected. While she is forgiving, and that’s all right, the desperation with which she clings to her 2-day old (okay, maybe it’s been more than 2 days) relationship just seems bizarre. Maybe the next few volumes might explain why Saeki is the way she is, but at the current point in the story, her character development seems strange and forced.
All the action in this volume of ‘Flowers of Evil’ takes place during the course of one single night, a rainy one at that, so the artwork is frenzied and bleak. The panels lay strong emphasis on the characters’ faces and bodies, and the atmosphere is sexually charged. The incessant rain, the imposing mountains, and the burgeoning sexuality, confusion, despair of the young characters dominate the chapters.
Nakamura disgustingly degrades and dehumanizes Kasuga in the climactic pages of this volume, and even though her malevolent nature has been as plain as daylight, the author really pushes the character to do despicable things that seem more like a means to shock the reader than to carry the story forward. I am not sure how the story is going to continue, because all the primary protagonists should ideally simply cut ties with each other, given how distorted their dynamics have become. At this point in the story, it honestly feels like Shuzo Oshimi could’ve simply wrapped it up with an emotional confrontation and resolution between the trio.
Rating: 3 on 5. The manga is also on Kindle Unlimited.
Read Next: ‘The Girl Who Owned a City’ Graphic Novel Review
Also Read: ‘Gel Boys’ Review: Situationship Hell Ft Siam Square (Short Audio Review Below)
March 30, 2025
Dabba Cartel Review: Women Gang Delivers the Highs
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“So, this is your Narcos Thane?”
A character scoffs at a group of women illegally selling drugs in Mumbai from Thane under the guise of running a tiffin service. They are chaotic, un-organized, and struggle for ideas to push their product when their primary seller backs out of the venture. But even though they aren’t the sharpest minds in the city, the eventually find a way out, making enough business to attract the attention of the biggest drug kingpin in the game. Which only means one thing – trouble.
Created by Shibani Akhtar, Gaurav Kapoor, and Akanksha Seda, Netflix series “Dabba Cartel” offers just what the title and its posters suggest – an entertaining drama about a group of unlikely women peddling drugs. How their paths cross with Ajith Pathak, government officer (Gajraj Rao) and SI Preethi Jadhav (Sai Tamhankar) investigating into VivaLife, a pharmaceutical company suspected of manufacturing a new drug that’s being sold in Punjab, forms the crux of the tale. But the ‘Dabba Cartel’ saga starts with a mistake and is fueled by greed.
Shalini Pandey plays Raji Jagtap, a young married woman who cooks and sells dabbas (tiffins) from home, hoping to support her husband Hari’s (Bhupendra Jadawat) dreams of getting a promotion to move to Germany. Raji gets knee deep in trouble with the wrong guys, when her business partner Mala (Nimisha Sajayan) starts to sell weed in her dabbas, because she is being blackmailed by her thug boyfriend with a sex video. Multiple complications force them to continue selling more potent drugs, and they are assisted in their dabba operation by their broker Shahida (Anjali Anand) and Varuna (Jyotika), a small business owner. But the most unlikely addition? Raji’s aging mother-in-law Sheila Jagtap (Shabana Azmi), who becomes their ‘Godmother’ of sorts, aided by Moushumi Majumdar (Lillete Dubey), an old friend with solid connections in the drug world.
A parallel sub-plot follows how unbeknownst to Shalini, her husband Hari, a VivaLife employee, is aiding his boss Shankar Dasgupta (Jisshu Sengupta) in covering the company’s tracks in the new drug case. In a co-incidence, Varuna happens to be Shankar’s wife and uses her own VivaLife insights to help her ‘Dabba Cartel’ become bigger than ever. The ease with which the women are able to run their drug business feels exaggerated, but it’s fun to watch their evolving dynamics and interactions through the episodes. Greed, corruption, and unhinged human ambition are some of the primary themes, and viewers can see elements inspired from other stories in the genre, like ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Griselda’, and there’s of-course its own meta nod to ‘Narcos’ via a dialogue.
All the leading protagonists are entertaining in their parts, be it Jyotika as a struggling business owner, or Shalini Jagtap as the easily rattled Raji. Nimisha Sajayan’s Mala serves as comic relief, a sassy domestic worker with big dreams, who often gets the group in trouble with her short temper. Anjali Anand is endearing as Shahida, a greedy broker, who immediately helps fuels the drug business, when she sees the potential. Gajraj Rao as the calm, honest, hard-working, meticulous government officer determined to expose VivaLife delivers an earnest performance, however, a very evidently fake (and bad) hairdo makes his parts unwittingly comical and distracting to watch. Sai Tamhankar as SI Preethi serves as a fun contrast against him – she is more impulsive, energetic, and spontaneous.
I was hoping to see a lot more of Jyotika in the show, however, her character doesn’t get enough space. In-fact, even Shaban Azmi’s Sheila Jagtap, who is possibly the most intriguing character in the show, feels underutilized, despite being projected as the lynchpin among the ladies. Since they are two major sub-plots unfolding, the show’s focus can feel lopsided. On one hand, there’s a balanced distribution between the investigative story and the women-run cartel, given the expectations set up by the title, you’d want the screen-space to tilt towards the cartel more. Also, there are far too many co-incidental connections in the series. For instance, Shahida is introduced as Raji’s broker, than she turns out to be Varuna’s broker too, and then she ends up being SI Preethi’s broker too.
While there isn’t a lot of violence in the show, it’s the climactic episode that packs in a lot of tension and blood. The gang come face-to-face with a new antagonist who isn’t pleased with their work and shows them what it means to intrude on another crime boss’ turf. A big twist pertaining to Sheila Jagtap is revealed, although for more perceptive viewers, it wouldn’t come as a surprise, since it’s already foreshadowed in the first half. The fact that ‘Dabba Cartel’ doesn’t wrap things up in the end, comes as both a surprise and disappointment. Things end on a big cliffhanger, and while I will watch season 2, this could’ve been more satisfying as a mini-series.
Rating: 7 on 10. Watch ‘Dabba Cartel’ on Netflix.
Read Next: ‘Con Mum’ Netflix Documentary Review
Also Read: Nadaaniyan Movie Review: Cringe Max (audio version below)
Dabba Cartel Review: This Women Gang Delivers the Highs
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“So, this is your Narcos Thane?”
A character scoffs at a group of women illegally selling drugs in Mumbai from Thane under the guise of running a tiffin service. They are chaotic, un-organized, and struggle for ideas to push their product when their primary seller backs out of the venture. But even though they aren’t the sharpest minds in the city, the eventually find a way out, making enough business to attract the attention of the biggest drug kingpin in the game. Which only means one thing – trouble.
Created by Shibani Akhtar, Gaurav Kapoor, and Akanksha Seda, Netflix series “Dabba Cartel” offers just what the title and its posters suggest – an entertaining drama about a group of unlikely women peddling drugs. How their paths cross with Ajith Pathak, government officer (Gajraj Rao) and SI Preethi Jadhav (Sai Tamhankar) investigating into VivaLife, a pharmaceutical company suspected of manufacturing a new drug that’s being sold in Punjab, forms the crux of the tale. But the ‘Dabba Cartel’ saga starts with a mistake and is fueled by greed.
Shalini Pandey plays Raji Jagtap, a young married woman who cooks and sells dabbas (tiffins) from home, hoping to support her husband Hari’s (Bhupendra Jadawat) dreams of getting a promotion to move to Germany. Raji gets knee deep in trouble with the wrong guys, when her business partner Mala (Nimisha Sajayan) starts to sell weed in her dabbas, because she is being blackmailed by her thug boyfriend with a sex video. Multiple complications force them to continue selling drugs, and they are assisted in their dabba operation by their broker Shahida (Anjali Anand) and Varuna (Jyotika), a small business owner. But the most unlikely addition? Raji’s aging mother-in-law Sheila Jagtap (Shabana Azmi), who becomes their ‘Godmother’ of sorts, aided by Moushumi Majumdar (Lillete Dubey), an old friend with solid connections in the drug world.
A parallel sub-plot follows how unbeknownst to Shalini, her husband Hari, a VivaLife employee, is aiding his boss Shankar Dasgupta (Jisshu Sengupta) in covering the company’s tracks in the new drug case. In a co-incidence, Varuna happens to be Shankar’s wife and uses her own VivaLife insights to help her ‘Dabba Cartel’ become bigger than ever. The ease with which the women are able to run their drug business feels exaggerated, but it’s fun to watch their evolving dynamics and interactions through the episodes. Greed, corruption, and unhinged human ambition are some of the primary themes, and viewers can see elements inspired from other stories in the genre, like ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘Griselda’, and there’s of-course its own meta nod to ‘Narcos’ via a dialogue.
All the leading protagonists are entertaining in their parts, be it Jyotika as a struggling business owner, or Shalini Jagtap as the easily rattled Raji. Nimisha Sajayan’s Mala serves as comic relief, a sassy domestic worker with big dreams, who often gets the group in trouble with her short temper. Anjali Anand is endearing as Shahida, a greedy broker, who immediately helps fuels the drug business, when she sees the potential. Gajraj Rao as the calm, honest, hard-working, meticulous government officer determined to expose VivaLife delivers an earnest performance, however, a very evidently fake (and bad) hairdo makes his parts unwittingly comical and distracting to watch. Sai Tamhankar as SI Preethi serves as a fun contrast against him – she is more impulsive, energetic, and spontaneous.
I was hoping to see a lot more of Jyotika in the show, however, her character doesn’t get enough space. In-fact, even Shaban Azmi’s Sheila Jagtap, who is possibly the most intriguing character in the show, feels underutilized, despite being projected as the lynchpin among the ladies. Since they are two major sub-plots unfolding, the show’s focus can feel lopsided. On one hand, there’s a balanced distribution between the investigative story and the women-run cartel, given the expectations set up by the title, you’d want the screen-space to tilt towards the cartel more. Also, there are far too many co-incidental connections in the series. For instance, Shahida is introduced as Raji’s broker, than she turns out to be Varuna’s broker too, and then she ends up being SI Preethi’s broker too.
While there isn’t a lot of violence in the show, it’s the climactic episode that packs in a lot of tension and blood. The gang come face-to-face with a new antagonist who isn’t pleased with their work and shows them what it means to intrude on another crime boss’ turf. A big twist pertaining to Sheila Jagtap is revealed, although for more perceptive viewers, it wouldn’t come as a surprise, since it’s already foreshadowed in the first half. The fact that ‘Dabba Cartel’ doesn’t wrap things up in the end, comes as both a surprise and disappointment. Things end on a big cliffhanger, and while I will watch season 2, this could’ve been more satisfying as a mini-series.
Rating: 7 on 10. Watch ‘Dabba Cartel’ on Netflix.
Read Next: ‘Con Mum’ Netflix Documentary Review
Also Read: Nadaaniyan Movie Review: Cringe Max (audio version below)
‘The Girl Who Owned a City’ Graphic Novel Review
Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
A house in on fire, engulfed in massive flames, whilst a young girl stands with a huge rifle in front of it, with a confidence that implies she might have something to do with the blaze – the cover for ‘The Girl Who Owned a City’ by O.T. Nelson sure knows how to catch the reader’s attention.
The plot follows Lisa Nelson, a 12-year-old girl looking out for herself and her six-year-old brother in a world where everyone over the age of 13 has perished due to a deadly global pandemic. This post-apocalyptic tale centers on child survivors who mostly live by scavenging around town. However, some have formed more organized gangs that often bully and steal from other kids. Smart and resourceful, Lisa rallies the support of neighboring children by promising to help them with food and supplies in exchange for their help in building a city they can govern and defend together.
I picked the graphic novel version, which is illustrated by Joëlle Jones, who has illustrated several DC, Marvel comics, including a bunch of Catwoman comics. I really like Joëlle’s artwork in the graphic novel ’12 Reasons Why I Love Her’, but not so much in the ‘The Girl Who Owned a City’, where the children seem more like animated bobbleheads, with comically large heads.
It doesn’t help that Lisa looks and sounds like she’s at least 20 years old, though, to be fair, dire circumstances can force kids to grow up fast. So while her character development may not feel entirely believable, the author still delivers an interesting moral takeaway: when push comes to shove, children can rise to the occasion and accomplish feats often believed to require adult experience.
Maybe Lisa’s character was better fleshed out in the novel version, but in this graphic novel adaptation, she often comes across as a selfish brat who keeps calling the place she built “my city,” which causes some resentment among the other kids. “Nobody wants my job” is something Lisa keeps telling herself, even though she is aided by a whole bunch of kids. The primary antagonists in the tale are a gang of boys who keep harassing and bullying others, so Lisa builds an army to protect her city.
Instead of highlighting how there is strength in numbers, the climax features Lisa defeating an entire army with an emotional lecture. So ultimately, Lisa emerges as the sole hero, and the author refuses to convey the idea of collective strength, instead relying on individual heroism. Not that the story doesn’t feature sections where Lisa has to work with others for her “city” to succeed, but ultimately, she remains a lone-wolf kind of leader.
Overall, ‘The Girl Who Owned a City‘ is an entertaining enough tale but should’ve given more space to other characters too.
Rating: 3 on 5 stars.
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