इंस्पेक्टर ज़ेंडे

A comedy thriller set in 1980, Inspector Madhukar Bapurao Zende (Manoj Bajpayee) doggedly pursues serial killer and notorious con-man Carl Bhojraj (Jim Sarbh) — a character inspired by the real-life Charles Sobhraj — after Bhojraj escapes from Tihar Jail. Based on the actual 1971 and 1986 arrests made by real officer Madhukar Zende, the film blends procedural suspense with satirical comedy of errors, bringing to life a charismatic pursuit across 1980s India. It premiered exclusively on Netflix on 5 September 2025, with a runtime of 112 minutes.

The two-song soundtrack (released 29 August 2025) by Sanket Sane and lyricist Swanand Kirkire is perfectly calibrated to the film's 1980 Mumbai setting. 'Majhi Baygo' is a Marathi-inflected folk number featuring Nakash Aziz and Waking Grunt; 'Charlie Baby' is an absurdist comedy song featuring Neeti Mohan that went viral for its hilarious non-sequitur energy — 'Charlie baby, where the hell are you?' Critics praised it as 'so random yet feels so right'. The soundtrack exemplifies Sanket Sane's range from folk authenticity to satirical comedy.

Inspector Zende is significant for bringing together Manoj Bajpayee and Jim Sarbh — two of contemporary Hindi cinema's most magnetic character actors — in a 1980-set period comedy that doubles as a Charles Sobhraj-inspired thriller. Sanket Sane's minimalist two-song album showed how a single precisely aimed absurdist track ('Charlie Baby') can carry a film's identity and achieve viral reach far beyond its narrative.

Strong Netflix reception for Bajpayee's comic timing and Sarbh's charismatic villainy. 'Charlie Baby' — 'Charlie baby, where the hell are you?' — became a widely shared meme and one of 2025's most-quoted absurdist Hindi film lines. Sanket Sane's period-accurate score added to his reputation as a versatile composer in Hindi cinema.