Dabba Cartel: Anjali Anand reveals Shibani Dandekar auditioned her at 1 AM

Photo: Instagram/@anjalidineshanand

Anjali Anand, who impressed everyone with her acting in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, is now winning hearts again with her role as Shahida in Dabba Cartel. She plays one of the five main characters in the show. But did you know she was chosen for the role just four days before filming began?

In a recent interview, Anjali shared an interesting story about how she got the role. At first, another actress was selected for the character of Shahida. However, Shibani Dandekar, who was involved in the casting, changed her mind after watching Anjali’s performance in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani. She felt that Anjali was the perfect fit for the role. But when she suggested this change, not everyone agreed with her right away.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel  

Determined to prove her point, Shibani took a bold step. She secretly asked the casting team to reach out to Anjali and arrange an audition. At that time, Anjali was traveling to Mumbai when her car suddenly got a flat tire. While waiting, she received a call from the casting director, who told her about the opportunity. She was informed that Dabba Cartel was a Netflix series produced by Excel Entertainment and that she would be one of the five lead actors. Excited by the offer, Anjali immediately said yes—without even reading the script!

What happened next was even more surprising. Shibani arranged a secret audition for Anjali at 1 AM! Despite the late hour, Anjali gave it her best. She was handed a scene from the fifth episode and asked to perform it. Even though she hadn’t read the full script, her performance was so convincing that everyone watching the audition realized Shibani had made the right decision.

After the audition, Shibani told everyone, “Just trust me on this.” And she was right! Anjali was officially cast as Shahida, and she believes she was in the right place at the right time. She is grateful for this unexpected opportunity and is excited for everyone to see her in Dabba Cartel.