Inspector Zende tells, with a wink and a grin, the story of how a Mumbai police officer pursued a notorious fugitive. The Hindi film, written and directed by Chinmay Mandlekar to resemble an Amar Chitra Katha comic, is out on Netflix.

Manoj Bajpayee plays Madhukar Zende, one of Mumbai’s original khaki-clad daredevils who functioned at a time when criminals actually feared the law, Bajpayee’s voiceover tells us. These rogues do not include Carl Bhojraj (Jim Sarbh), who is the fraudster and murderer Charles Sobhraj in all but name.

Carl has landed in Tihar Jail in Delhi after a string of crimes, including murdering and burning women in their swimwear. Carl coolly escapes Tihar one night and then hotfoots it to Mumbai and eventually Goa, from where he hopes to leave the country.

Contemptuous of humankind but especially of the police, Carl has forgotten that it was Zende who had once arrested him. Zende hasn’t, and vows to recapture Carl.

The well-picked supporting cast includes Sachin Khedekar as Zende’s boss Purandare, Girija Oak as Zende’s wife Vijaya, Bhalchandra Kadam as the goofy constable Patil, and Harish Dudhade as the severe-looking inspector Jacob.

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...

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