Netflix’s upcoming film ‘Inspector Zende’, starring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead role, will bring a humourous turn to the crime-thriller genre. The story will showcase the cat-and-mouse chase of the Mumbai Police trying to catch a serial killer. The movie is loosely inspired by true events, and the names of characters have been changed. The serial killer, played by Jim Sarbh in ‘Inspector Zende’, is reportedly based on Charles Sobhraj, aka ‘The Bikini Killer’.
Who Is Charles Sobhraj, aka The Bikini Killer?
Charles Sobhraj, born in Saigon in 1944 to an Indian father and a Vietnamese mother, was known as ‘The Serpent’, ‘Bikini Killer’ and ‘Splitting Killer’. He reportedly murdered more than 20 tourists in South Asia and Southeast Asia. He was jailed in India from 1976 to 1997 and returned to France after being released.
In 2003, he was given a life sentence in Nepal and was released from prison due to old age after serving for 19 years.
Charles has been mentioned in three non-fiction books, including ‘Serpentine’ and ‘The Life and Crimes of Charles Sobhraj’. He has also been depicted in movies and TV shows, including the 2015 Bollywood film ‘Main Aur Charles’, the 2025 Netflix series ‘Black Warrant’ and the 2021 BBC series ‘The Serpent’.
About Inspector Zende:
The movie also stars Bhalchandra Kadam, Sachin Khedekar, Girija Oak and Harish Dudhade in the pivotal roles.
Talking about his experience, Manoj Bajpayee shares, “What fascinated me about Inspector Zende was that he wasn’t chasing glory. He was just doing his job, yet caught one of the most notorious criminals twice. His bravery, humour, and that unmistakable Mumbai flavour make his journey truly inspiring. Meeting him felt like stepping into a storybook, with a lifetime of tales to tell. Playing him let me dive into a world that’s as gritty as it is entertaining. The trailer is only a glimpse, the film takes you right into the heart of it. I’m glad his story is finally getting the spotlight it deserves, and that too globally on Netflix.”
‘Inspector Zende’ is produced by Jay Shewakramani and Om Raut under the banner of Northern Lights Films. It is directed by Chinmay D. Mandlekar and will release on Netflix on September 5.
