Inspector Zende

“The attempt at a serio-comic tone 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. Overall, neither Bajpayee's sturdy comfort with being Zende 'with an h' nor Sarbh's attempts at inhabiting the serial killer's skin leave the kind of impact that they should. It is patchy, as is the film.”

“Inspector Zende breaks the stereotype of cop dramas at every level, serving as a fun and entertaining watch that introduces the game of chor-police in the most humane yet funny way possible. Manoj Bajpayee delivers a masterclass, balancing humor and grit brilliantly with a believable and real performance that makes Zende a man simply doing a tough job rather than a larger-than-life hero. Inspector Zende works in each and every emotion it builds, making you smile throughout with its hilarious music, brilliant direction, and profound character work.”

“INSPECTOR ZENDE is a refreshing real life inspiration.”

“Inspector Zende would have remained incomplete without its superb supporting cast with memorable performances by Bhalchandra Kadam, Harish Dudhade, Onkar Raut, and Sachin Khedekar.”

“'Inspector Zende' definitely deserves a watch. The film has masala, emotions, and patriotism, which puts this film in the category of great films.”

“Manoj Bajpayee is indeed an effortless craftsman who can pull off any role and this time he plays the role of real-life Inspector Madhukar Zende who caught serial killer Charles Sobhraj.”

“Manoj Bajpayee's conviction makes this sluggish yet funny film on Charles Sobhraj's arrest work. Give him a script and he'll have you convinced that aliens are running the local paan shop, and you would still be first in line to try it.”

“By taking a comedic detour, Mandlekar crafts a film that entertains but also feels like a missed opportunity. 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.”

“The new Netflix film aspires to turn a gory story into a pulp fiction-like narrative but forgets that aspiration midway.”

“Inspector Zende had the potential to be genuinely entertaining. Instead, it settles for formulaic fun, making it a largely forgettable watch.”

“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?”

“Muddled history and a parodic tone hamper this new film version of the Charles Sobhraj story.”

“Mandlekar introduces observational humour into a police procedural to generate a series of heart-warming moments, making the predictability of the cat-and-mouse game pleasant for a weekend afternoon watch. The good thing is that the makers don't oversell, making one join Inspector Zende in this light-hearted hunt for the Serpent.”

“Mandlekar, the actor who makes his directing debut with this film, treats Zende's best-known exploit like one big joke. The shallow, silly script feels like an early draft, with barely any attention paid to Carl and too much focus on the hunt for him.”

“At a time when Bollywood theatricality is often used to manipulate history, I’ll take a story that uses clumsy wit to conceal emotions and cultural agendas. Most (inauspicious) days of the week, at least”