Inspector Zende
| Inspector Zende | |
|---|---|
 Official release poster | |
| Directed by | Chinmay Mandlekar |
| Written by | Chinmay Mandlekar |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Vishal Sinha |
| Edited by | Meghna Manchanda Sen |
| Music by | Sanket Sane |
Production company | Northern Lights Films |
| Distributed by | Netflix |
Release date |
|
Running time | 112 minutes[1] |
| Country | India |
| Language | Hindi |
Inspector Zende is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language comedy thriller film directed and written by Chinmay Mandlekar and produced by Jay Shewakramani and Om Raut. The film stars Manoj Bajpayee as Inspector Madhukar Zende and Jim Sarbh as Carl Bhojraj, a character inspired by the infamous serial killer Charles Sobhraj. It was released on 5 September 2025 on Netflix.[2][3][4]
Cast
[edit]- Manoj Bajpayee as Inspector Madhukar Bapurao Zende
- Jim Sarbh as Carl Bhojraj
- Sachin Khedekar as DGP Chandrakant Purandhare
- Girija Oak as Vijaya Zende
- Bhalchandra Kadam as Bhalchandra Patil
- Vaibhav Mangle as Fonseca
- Harish Dudhade as Jacob
- Onkar Raut as Patekar
- Bharat Savale as Naik
- Devaang Bagga as Lalit
- Nitin Bhajan as Ram Deshmane
- Madhav Vaze as Joshi Kaka
Production
[edit]The film is directed and penned by Chinmay Mandlekar in his directorial debut. The film draws from the real-life story of Madhukar Zende, the Mumbai police officer who arrested Charles Sobhraj twice; once in 1971 and again in Goa in 1986 after his escape from Tihar Jail.[5][6]
Marketing
[edit]The project was officially announced by Netflix on 7 August 2025 with Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh in lead.[7] The official trailer of the film was released on 25 August 2025.[8]
Release
[edit]The film premiered exclusively on Netflix on 5 September 2025.[9]
Reception
[edit]Radhika Sharma of NDTV gave 3.5 stars out of 5 and said that "Inspector Zende would have remained incomplete without its superb supporting cast with memorable performances."[10] Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India observed that "'Inspector Zende' stands out because of the genre it chooses."[11] Anuj Kumar of The Hindu wrote "A string of heart-warming moments and a malleable Manoj keep us invested in this otherwise generic hunt for the Serpent."[12]
Udita Jhunjhunwala writing for Mint said that "Muddled history and a parodic tone hamper this new film version of the Charles Sobhraj story."[13] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave 2 stars out of 5 and said that " The attempt at a serio-comic tone in the Manoj Bajpayee-Jim Sarbh film falls flat with only an occasional leap or two, with the writing struggling to match the audacity of the criminal and the enterprise of his nemesis."[14] Mayur Sanap of Rediff.com rated 2/5 stars and observed that "Inspector Zende had the potential to be genuinely entertaining. Instead, it settles for formulaic fun."[15]
Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times gave 3 stars out of 5 and said that "Overall, Inspector Zende is an engaging watch in parts, lifted by Manoj Bajpayee’s steady presence and a cast that rises to the occasion. Yet the repetition in storytelling keeps it from reaching the heights its premise promised. At three stars, this is a serviceable thriller with a humorous streak, more enjoyable for its performances than its plot."[16] Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in observed that "Inspector Zende often resembles a tacky old Hindi movie in which cops arrive at the scene after the criminal has bolted. Some of the parodic humour is contributed by Zende, an old-fashioned specimen of law enforcement who doggedly pursues his target."[17] Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost rated it 3/5 stars andsaid that "Everything said and done, the film is immensely superior to the other releases of this week and as usual Manoj Bajpayee is absolutely phenomenal. I assure watching this film is going to be damn good fun."[18]
Shubham Kulkarni of OTT Play rated it 2.5/5 star and said that "The new Netflix film aspires to turn a gory story into a pulp fiction-like narrative but forgets that aspiration midway."[19] Jaya Dwivedie of India TV rated it 3.5/5 stars and writes "'Inspector Zende' definitely deserves a watch. Carl Bhojraj's story has been shown on screen many times before, but this is completely Inspector Zende's story, a real hero who is a part of the justice system, whose story needs to be known worldwide. The film has masala, emotions, and patriotism, which puts this film in the category of great films."[20] Archika Khurana ofThe Times of India gave 3.5 stars out of 5 and said that "Watch it for Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh’s performances, nostalgic 80s Mumbai, and a light-hearted take on a legendary manhunt."[21]
Devesh Sharma of Filmfare rated it 3/5 stars and said that " It doesn’t dig deep into the psychology of its infamous subject, nor does it fully exploit the humour of its premise. What keeps it afloat is Bajpayee’s brilliance and the sincerity of its supporting cast. A lighter take on a dark chapter of history, Inspector Zende may not thrill, but it does amuse.[22] Subhash K Jha of News 24 rated it 2/5 stars and said that "What is so funny about a cop trying to nab a notorious criminal? One would like to ask writer-director Chinmay Mandlekar why he thought it prudent to use the facetious tone of narration for a crime story that shook the world? And why is crime a laughing matter in the first place?"[23] Bollywood Hungama gave it 3.5 stars out 5 and said that "On the whole, INSPECTOR ZENDE is a refreshing blend of real-life inspiration and quirky storytelling, and stands out for its humor, crisp runtime, and stellar performances, especially Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh."[24]
References
[edit]- ^ "Inspector Zende (15)". British Board of Film Classification. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 5 September 2025.
- ^ "'Inspector Zende' trailer: Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh on a cat and mouse chase - WATCH". The Times of India. 25 August 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ Wandermurem, Isadora (5 September 2025). "The True Story Behind Netflix's 'Inspector Zende'". TIME. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ "A Daring Inspector, The Notorious Swimsuit Killer, And One Epic Cat-And-Mouse Chase: Netflix Unveils Trailer for 'Inspector Zende'". About Netflix. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ "Netflix's Inspector Zende: the real-life thriller of Charles Sobhraj, 3 shocking clues that ended his run & where's he now". Indiatimes. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ Ramnath, Nandini (27 October 2015). "Charles Sobhraj hated India, but the country got to him in the end". Scroll.in. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ "Manoj Bajpayee And Jim Sarbh's Inspector Zende Release Date Announced, Poster Out". News18. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ Kaur, Arshdeep (25 August 2025). "Inspector Zende trailer OUT: Manoj Bajpayee-Jim Sarbh's new movie catches Internet's attention; 'This is pure cinema'". mint. Retrieved 26 August 2025.
- ^ "Inspector Zende |Netflix".
- ^ Sharma, Radhika. "Inspector Zende Review: Manoj Bajpayee, Jim Sarbh Are Phenomenal In This Netflix True Crime Story". NDTV. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Desai, Rahul. "'Inspector Zende' Movie Review: A Manoj Bajpayee Special That Injects History With Humour". The Hollywood Reporter India. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Kumar, Anuj. "'Inspector Zende' movie review: Manoj Bajpayee makes this chase for Charles moderately enjoyable". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Jhunjhunwala, Udita. "'Inspector Zende' review: Send-up of crime folklore marred by inconsistency". Mint. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Gupta, Shubhra. "Inspector Zende movie review: Manoj Bajpayee-Jim Sarbh's patchy film fails to leave an impact". The Indian Express. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Sanap, Mayur. "Inspector Zende Review: Mildly Amusing". Rediff.com. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Suri, Rishabh. "Inspector Zende review: Manoj Bajpayee's conviction makes this sluggish yet funny film on Charles Sobhraj's arrest work". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Ramnath, Nandini. "'Inspector Zende' review: A cartoonish caper about a daredevil Mumbai cop". Scroll.in. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Roy, Lachmi Deb. "Netflix's 'Inspector Zende' Movie Review: Manoj Bajpayee shines in the role of real-life Inspector Madhukar Zende". Firstpost. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Kulkarni, Shubham. "Inspector Zende Review: Manoj Bajpayee leads a fun gang in a dull world". OTT Play. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Dwivedie, Jaya. "Inspector Zende Movie Review: Manoj Bajpayee delivers must-see performance in a gripping crime thriller". India TV. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Khurana, Archika. "Inspector Zende Movie Review". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Sharma, Devesh. "Inspector Zende Review: Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh Shine in Their Respective Roles". Filmfare. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Jha, Subhash K. "Inspector Zende Review: Not Funny At All". News 24. Retrieved 6 September 2025.
- ^ Hungama, Bollywood. "Inspector Zende Movie Review: INSPECTOR ZENDE is a refreshing real life inspiration". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 6 September 2025.