‘Inspector Zende’ (2025) Netflix Movie Review - An Awkward Mixture Of Various Things

This is how Inspector Madhukar Bapurao Zende (Manoj Bajpayee) describes Chinmay Mandlekar's Inspector Zende: a true story that resembles a fairy tale. It's about the titular character's efforts to recapture Carl Bhojraj (yes, he's Charles Sobhraj), an infamous serial killer. Zende is in the queue to buy milk when he hears this news on the radio: Carl Bhojraj has escaped from Tihar Jail. One can consider Inspector Zende a quirky sequel to Black Warrant, since Vikramaditya Motwane's series ends where this movie begins. The quirkiness comes from the name Zende uses for his wife, Viju (Girija Oak): "Commissioner." It also stems from his colleague, Jacob (Harish Dudhade), who laughs with a serious demeanor, and is especially evident in scenes like the one where Zende, Jacob, and a worker, through eye contact, attempt silent communication. That scene, along with three or four others, is the only source of humor in a film that's otherwise very confused about itself. Is Inspector Zende a black comedy? At one moment, you are asked to chuckle when Zende, during a secret house meeting, sits on a small cycle. Next, you feel horrified when Carl strangles and then burns a victim to obtain an important document. Perhaps the movie wants to be a sweet dramedy? Viju makes puran poli and hands over the tiffin to the DGP (Sachin Khedekar). She also types an "All the Best" note and tucks it inside her husband's pocket. If the movie were a person, it would be the kind who gushes, "Aww, cho chweet. What a cute couple!"

The problem with Inspector Zende is obvious: Mandlekar isn't able to smoothly combine drama with comedy. The tonal shift is consistently jarring, which only undermines the strength of scenes that appear promising (Zende and Carl fight among dancers at a wedding, and, for a moment, you see what Inspector Zende could have been in the hands of a director who understands physical comedy). Jim Sarbh, as Carl, is too stiff. I think no one told him that the movie is also supposed to be funny. Dudhade and Bhalchandra Kadam are likable, colorful side characters, but nothing explodes due to the bland material, the bland treatment, and the bland direction. The burden to lift the film finally falls on Bajpayee, who is undoubtedly one of the finest actors working in our movies. His expressions achieve what Mandlekar fails to do with his filmmaking: blend two disparate elements (seriousness and humor) effortlessly. If Inspector Zende looks like a fairy tale, then Bajpayee is that hero who (almost) saves the day with his supernatural abilities. This is why Bajpayee deserves better. Then again, he is one of those heroes who also needs to pay his bills.

Final Score- [2.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times