Manoj Bajpayee Embraces Humor in 'Inspector Zende'

Mumbai, Sep 3 (PTI) Manoj Bajpayee has seemingly discovered a new facet of his acting prowess, bringing humor to his repertoire first with "The Family Man" and now as a Mumbai cop in pursuit of a notorious criminal in "Inspector Zende".

Bajpayee, known for his intense portrayals, particularly as police officers in films like "Shool", "Special 26", and "Bhonsle", shared his love for humor that audiences can relate to. "Before 'The Family Man', no one anticipated that I could deliver humor with a straight face," Bajpayee revealed in an interview with PTI. "People often refer to it as straight-faced humor, but I find joy in crafting humor from real and relatable situations."

His character, Madhukar Zende, is inspired by a real-life cop who famously apprehended the notorious serial killer Charles Sobhraj twice. In the movie, Sobhraj is reimagined as Carl Bhojraj, played by Jim Sarbh. Bajpayee describes his character as quirky, but not intentionally so—rather, the humor emerges from the scene itself. "He's not stepping out of character," he explained. "It's about the seriousness with which he addresses comedic moments. That genuine approach sells it and keeps the actor connected to the character. Without deliberately attempting comedy, humor naturally unfolds."

Reflecting on his evolution as an actor, Bajpayee recalled his first role as a cop in Ramgopal Varma's 1999 film "Shool". At that time, he portrayed a young, idealistic officer battling disillusionment within his personal and professional life. "I completely immersed myself, but it took a toll on my mental and physical health," he admitted. Such exhaustive method acting taught him important lessons about maintaining balance.

"Inspector Zende", directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, offers a stark contrast to "Shool". According to Bajpayee, the film adopts a comedic lens on the chase of one of history's most infamous psychopaths, Charles Sobhraj. Sobhraj, remembered not merely as a criminal but as a figure entrenched in pop culture, presents a narrative ripe for humor. Mandlekar's approach ensures the film remains endearing and hilarious, offering a departure from intense method acting.

Director Mandlekar emphasized that the humor in "Inspector Zende" arises from situational absurdity rather than the character's actions. "Our focus was to ensure he's not akin to Jacques Clouseau from 'Pink Panther'," he clarified. "Despite comical circumstances, he's a hero—hand-picked for this mission, not someone who accidentally caught Carl. The real Zende views this as just another task among many, not a crowning achievement."

Supported by a stellar cast from the Marathi film industry, such as Sachin Khedekar, Bhalchandra Kadam, Girija Oak, Onkar Raut, and Harish Dudhade, Mandlekar remained committed to authentic casting. He ensured Marathi characters were portrayed by Marathi actors, with similar attention given to Carl’s team.

The film is set to premiere on Netflix on September 5.

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