Shabana Azmi shines in 'Dabba Cartel': A surprising encounter

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi is garnering acclaim for her role in the crime thriller series 'Dabba Cartel,' which also marks Shibani Dandekar's writing debut.

As Azmi celebrates 50 illustrious years in the film industry, she recently recounted a surprising encounter at the show's trailer launch.

During an appearance on the show "Khane Mein Kya Hai," Azmi shared an amusing incident involving a 20-year-old crew member who failed to recognize her. "A young girl looked at the guest list, pointed at me, and asked, 'Who are you?' which left my co-stars in shock," Azmi recounted.

The girl mistook her for Shibani Dandekar, much to the surprise of Anjali Anand, Azmi's 'Dabba Cartel' co-star.

Interestingly, the crew member was also unaware of renowned producers Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar. Azmi and Anand previously appeared in Karan Johar's 'Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani,' although their on-screen interaction was limited. The film starred Alia Bhatt and Ranveer Singh in prominent roles.

At the 'Dabba Cartel' trailer launch, Azmi made a candid admission about initially opposing the inclusion of actress Jyotika in the series. "I have a confession to make," Azmi revealed. "There are two actresses I wanted to replace. One is Jyotika. She wasn't aware, but I suggested casting someone else to Farhan and Shibani."

Directed by Hitesh Bhatia, 'Dabba Cartel' boasts an ensemble cast, including Gajraj Rao, Jyotika, Nimisha Sajayan, Shalini Pandey, Anjali Anand, Sai Tamhankar, Jisshu Sengupta, Lillete Dubey, and Bhupendra Singh Jadawat in significant roles.