Through its humorous spin and enigmatically appealing cast, Netflix’s Inspector Zende (2025) transmutes its grim story into an extremely palatable dark comedy. Directed and written by Chinmay Mandlekar, the Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh starrer is based on notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj’s escape from Tihar Jail and the nationwide hunt that followed. What sets “Inspector Zende” apart is the film’s firm commitment to the unserious caper tone. With a dialed-in Manoj Bajpayee and Mandlekar’s script’s fairly engrossing balancing act between the penchant for slapstick and the somber reality which inspired the story, “Inspector Zende” should be considered among Netflix India’s better offerings.
As mentioned before, the film’s premise is Carl Bhojraj (the film does not use the real names and monikers of Charles Sobhraj) escaping Tihar Jail after drugging the entire prison staff under the pretense of his birthday celebration. If this sounds scandalous, I encourage you to read about Sobhraj’s influence over prison guards. Anyway, Bhojraj (Jim Sarbh) and four of his lackeys reach Mumbai. However, the Mumbai Police have a trump card that Bhojraj is not fully aware of. Inspector Madhukar Zende (Manoj Bajpayee). Zende nabbed Bhojraj fifteen years ago. The question is, can the veteran do it again?
As the title suggests, the film is thematically driven towards championing the police officer rather than poring over the psyche of the serial killer in question. This is no “Conversation with a Killer.” Yes, the notorious killer’s ability to disarm his prey (primarily women who dote on him) surfaces here and there. However, those moments are tactfully superseded by Inspector Zende’s equally disarming display of integrity and tenacity. Speaking of tenacity, Zende’s simplistic perseverance can be compared with that of Hathiram Chowdhury (portrayed by Jaideep Ahlawat in ‘Pataal Lok’), except that it comes from the opposite spectrum of Hathiram’s world. The ‘grim dark’ tendencies of ‘Pataal Lok’ are replaced with subtle humor and not-so-subtle slapstick.
When the film starts, and you see the name Om Raut as one of the producers, you fear for what is about to come. However, thankfully, director Chinmay Mandlekar is not the same. He does not have Raut’s fondness for the loud and the crass. Mandlekar, on the other hand, revels in the film’s exaggerations. Mandlekar has peppered the story with intermittent slapstick moments. Starting with Zende’s bickering with a passerby who passes a cheeky comment about the police station’s telephone connection, the film relies on such moments whenever things begin to stall.
Also Explore: The 25 Best Bollywood Movies on Netflix Right Now
Yes, Mandlekar’s script is not without its flaws. Due to the film’s wish to remain unserious, it could not take pauses to reflect and ponder lest it become somber. It needed deft hands to walk that tightrope, and Mandlekar preferred not to risk ludicrity. The intention was always to induce laughter, not to be laughable. As a result, there are moments where the film, devoid of any of its slapstick routines, meanders. When Zende’s hunt for Bhojraj brings his motley crew to Goa, this particular unevenness becomes noticeable.
Having said that, Mandlekar’s smart direction, buoyed by the significant contribution from his cinematographer Vishal Sinha and editor Meghna Manchanda Sen, plasters over any imbalance that might surface its ugly head. There is a particular scene where Bhojraj kills a man at Goa’s pristine beach with the sun setting over the Arabian Sea. The trickery with the camera and subsequent editing smartly undermines the morbid scene, with the intended humor reflecting upon it like the last rays of sunlight did on the dying man. Then there is the climactic fight between Zende and Bhojraj. The two warring men grab and swipe at each other, blending with the dancing crowd with a dance of their own. The hint is not subtle. The cat-and-mouse chase has been a dance. With zany eroticism that is topped with Zende and the arrested Bhojraj leaving in a “Just Married” car.
It would be remiss of me if I did not mention Manoj Bajpayee’s performance as the titular lead. Bajpayee is the heart of the film, managing to capture the determined innocence of Zende with the perfect smirk that appears on his face when he lands the joke’s punchline. The supporting cast that forms Zende’s ragtag crew is excellent. Particularly, Harish Dudhade’s Jacob and Bhaichandra Kadam’s Patil. Dudhade’s hearty laugh at the end is the perfect sign-off of the film. As to Jim Sarbh’s rendition of Charles Sobhraj, it might not be the best portrayal of the infamous ‘Bikini Killer’ (that title might belong to Tahar Rahim in “The Serpent”). However, Sarbh has a natural charisma that helps establish the enigma that his ‘Bhojraj’ is. And that is all the film needed. After all, it was not about him. It is about Inspector Zende through and through.
![This Is Not What I Expected! [2017] – NYAFF Review](https://79468c92.delivery.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/This-is-not-what.jpg)
