Aarcflick

 The seven-episode Netflix series oscillates between cool and chaos, menace and joy, never quite finding its tone Shabana Azmi is the fiery queen of a girl group. They ply a trade of dubious repute. Her subordinates feel the heat of her gaze. She doesn’t tolerate fools. I’m talking, of course, about a film called Mandi, directed by the great Shyam Benegal and released in 1983. Its coolness remains unsurpassed, 42 years later. Stars: Jayant Gadekar, Mansi Sehgal, Jyothika Dabba Cartel, a new Netflix crime series with Azmi back at the helm, tries its best to be cool. Co-created by Shibani Akhtar, the series has a novel core: a home chef’s dabba (tiffin) delivery business turns into a dangerous drug operation. The pinball narrative unfolds over seven episodes. The characters are stereotypical, but, coming at you in large numbers, they maintain an intense pace, like actors on a revolving stage. It has the mark of an Excel production: ample efficiency, not much excellence. I am convince...