Caught him… because he can!

Caught him… because he can : My quick take on “Inspector Zende” (Netflix)

Inspector Zende on Netflix is like a school play featuring an all-star cast—Bhau Kadam, Vaibhav Mangle, Sachin Khedekar, Onkar Raut, and Girija Oak—all packed into Mumbai’s familiar bylanes, giving the story the smell of cutting chai and vada pav authenticity. By that logic, one did expect a Marathi manus in the inspector’s khaki shoes, but Apna Manoj Bhai wears the role like a borrowed jacket—slightly loose, but serviceable.

Spotting Om Raut’s name in the credits is like seeing a once-feared batsman quietly choosing to umpire after a disastrous innings (Adipurush, anyone?). Instead, the directorial reins are in the hands of Chinmay Madalekar, who steers this ship with a steady—if occasionally over-theatrical—hand.

The movie itself is short and frothy, like a soda that fizzes quickly before going flat. Its comedy often borders on buffoonery, but just enough situational chuckles pop up to keep you sipping. The investigation swings between Sherlock Holmes and Shaktimaan, solving crimes with the subtlety of a hammer trying to crack a peanut.

And then there’s the antagonist: Carl Bhojraj. Because clearly Netflix thought renaming Charles Shobhraj—the bikini killer—would be enough camouflage. It’s like calling Mogambo “Mohan Uncle” and expecting nobody to notice.

So, to see or not to see—now that is the question. Watch it if you’ve got nothing else to do; it’s a plain vanilla affair with the occasional sprinkle of comedy.