Don’t Plan My Journey, Just Go with the Flow: Jyotika on Bollywood Comeback

Southern star Jyotika is embracing her return to the Hindi entertainment industry after 26 years, especially in an era where OTT platforms are creating strong, well-written roles for women.

The actor, who made her Bollywood debut in ‘Doli Sajake Rakhna’ (1998), returned in 2024 with the supernatural thriller ‘Shaitaan’. Now, she stars in Netflix’s new crime series ‘Dabba Cartel’, alongside Shabana Azmi, Nimisha Sajayan, Anjali Anand, Sai Tamhankar, and Lillete Dubey.

"It's taken me 25 years to come back to Hindi. I can see the OTT boom and the kind of work women across all age groups are getting. I don’t plan my journey—I just go with the flow, and the flow is really beautiful," Jyotika told PTI.

Directed by Hitesh Bhatia, Dabba Cartel follows five ordinary women whose small dabba (tiffin) business unexpectedly turns into a high-stakes drug operation. Jyotika, 46, plays Varuna, a former corporate professional with dreams of running a clothing franchise. She resonated with the role because it felt deeply real. "Real characters are the toughest to perform because when you see those roles, you see yourself in them. That’s what attracts me to a character," she shared.

She also cherished the opportunity to work with the legendary Shabana Azmi, calling it a dream come true. "There is one scene during Ganpati where it's just the two of us in a solo frame. I got goosebumps seeing that on screen," she recalled.

Jyotika, known for films such as ‘Kaakha Kaakha’, ‘Chandramukhi’, and ‘Mozhi’, is pleased with the growing prominence of women in cinema. “We are making our mark in male-led films, playing diverse roles, and stepping out of our comfort zones. That’s real growth.”

Alongside Jyotika, Dabba Cartel also features Gajraj Rao, Jisshu Sengupta, and Bhupendra Singh Jadawat, adding to its stellar ensemble cast.