‘Inspector Zende’ about Marathi superhero: Director Om Raut

Filmmaker Om Raut says he has been eager to explore historical narratives about Maratha heroes, be it his 2020 blockbuster “Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior” or his upcoming production “Inspector Zende”.

Raut debuted as a director with the acclaimed 2015 Marathi movie “Lokmanya: Ek Yug Purush”, based on the life of social reformer Bal Gangadhar Tilak and then made Ajay Devgn-starrer “Tanhaji” about Maratha warrior Tanaji Malusare.

Raut is currently producing the film “Inspector Zende”, directed by Chinmay D Mandlekar and featuring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead role.

Inspired by the Mumbai police officer Madhukar Zende, who apprehended notorious criminal Charles Sobhraj, popularly known as the “Bikini Killer”.

“Inspector Zende, he’s a national figure because he’s done some extraordinary work. He’s also a Marathi superhero, somebody who comes from the land that I and Chinmay come from, we are from Maharashtra.

“Inspector Zende’s career flourished in this city and in this state. So, be it the film on Lokmanya Tilak, which was my first film, it is about a Marathi-born national figure, who received international acclaim,” the 43-year-old filmmaker told PTI in an interview.

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Set in the bustling bylanes of 1970s and 1980s Mumbai, “Inspector Zende” follows the story of a determined police officer, played Bajpayee, and Carl Bhojraj (Jim Sarbh), the infamous “Swimsuit Killer” who escaped from Tihar Jail in New Delhi.

The cat-and-mouse chase between the two unfolds as a quirky blend of crime, comedy, and nostalgia.

Raut, who produced the movie along with Jay Shewakramani through the banner Northern Lights Films, said the contribution of local heroes must not be forgotten.

“Stories like this excite me a lot as a boy who grew up not far from here, these are the stories that I would like to tell,” he said.

The filmmaker believes that the essence of Inspector Zende’s story transcends cultural boundaries, making it relevant to global audiences.

That’s why they decided to release the movie on streaming service Netflix.

“Reaching a wider audience is something which is important, and that’s why every film, script and subject has the right platform. and ‘Inspector Zende’ could be told nicely on this platform because then it can go at a much wider stage.”

The idea for “Inspector Zende” came from the stories Raut heard from his father, a journalist, about a remarkable police officer who became a local legend.

He said he had the opportunity to meet Zende himself and talk to him about the film.

“Chinmay was part of my earlier project (‘Lokmanya’) as an actor, we used to always talk about it (film on Inspector Zende). And one fine day I said, ‘Chinmay why don’t you take a shot of writing this film’, and he said okay.

“We had done some research by then, he took over and did a lot of research after that. But this is like the initial stage of writing, he went and wrote the script and then we did a narration, I felt, ‘This is a very different take’,” Raut said, adding that he then pitched the script to Bajpayee and Netflix.

Raut’s last directorial was Prabhas-starrer “Adipurush”, a mythological epic based on Hindu epic Ramayana. After its release in June 2023, the movie was criticised for screenplay, dialogues and poor visual effects.

Despite the criticism, Raut said he is eager to revisit the genre.

“There’s something (in mythology) that I would like to explore. It is all about the rich culture, history that we’ve in our nation,” he said.

“Inspector Zende” will premiere on Netflix on September 5. It also features Bhalchandra Kadam, Sachin Khedekar, Girija Oak and Harish Dudhade in pivotal roles.