In September 2021, Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment announced a strategic multi-year partnership with Netflix India to produce an unspecified number of drama series for the streaming giant. The production company also announced two new web shows to kick-off this multi-project collaboration, in addition to Rahul Nair’s romantic-comedy, Eternally Confused and Eager for Love, that premiered in March this year. Over 15 months later, Excel Entertainment is all set to start production on the two announced projects, Dabba Cartel and Queen of the Hill.
Peepingmoon.com has learned that Excel Entertainment has roped in Shonali Bose and Karan Anshuman to direct these Netflix shows. While Shonali will helm the women-led series Dabba Cartel, Karan has been assigned to the latter, which is set against the backdrop of the jazz scene in 1960s Mumbai and revolves around the dynamic relationship between two ambitious women that will change the city forever. The scripts for both shows are finished and are currently in the casting stage. They are expected to get off the ground early next year and might premiere by 2023's end. The new projects continue Karan’s association with Excel Entertainment after Inside Edge and Mirzapur, whereas it marks Shonali’s first collaboration with the banner.
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Dabba Cartel is the story of five housewives who run a high-stakes, secret cartel. Shabana Azmi has been finalised to play one of the leads, while the casting for the rest of the characters is still underway. Shonali Bose, who has previously helmed critically acclaimed films like Margarita With a Straw (2014) and The Sky Is Pink (2019), makes her web series debut with this project, and she has already begun pre-production for the same.
Excel Entertainment has a string of films and web series lined up for 2023 release. The slate includes Siddhant Chaturvedi’s action drama, Yudhra; Ananya Pandey, Adarsh Gourav, and Siddhant Chaturvedi’s digital-age story, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan; and the highly anticipated Jee Le Zaraa, which brings together three of the biggest Bollywood female stars, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, and Alia Bhatt, on screen for the first time. They also have two Amazon Prime shows, Bambai Meri Jaan and Dahaad, set to premiere in the first half of 2023.
