Detective Sherdil review: Diljit Dosanjh's film is a cheeky, desi version of Knives Out for casual viewing

Being an avid fan of murder mysteries, one of the best things about this genre is how well the films unfold, making the movie even more fun and gripping. While delving into a crime-infused serious whodunit is another kind of thrill, sometimes watching a murder mystery with a bit of humour isn’t a bad idea, especially during a lazy weekend. A recent addition to this genre is Diljit Dosanjh's Detective Sherdil, an Indian version of Knives Out. Ever since the Hollywood film was released, several desi versions have come out, none as sharp as the original. However, I must say, having watched this film a week after Housefull 5, Dosanjh's film is definitely a better copy.

Directed by Ravi Chhabriya, the movie brings an entertaining vibe, well-presented cast and a quirky background score, but does all this make this goofy murder mystery a gripping whodunit? I'm sceptical.

What is Detective Sherdil about?

The movie starts with the introduction of Dosanjh as Sherdil, one of the best detectives of Budapest, who celebrates the closing of every case with an Instagram reel. Just as he's about to enjoy a hard-earned vacation, a new case is ready - the murder of a billionaire, Pankaj Bhatti (Boman Irani), who has been gunned down. While things might seem easy at first, with two culprits missing, Sherdil knows how to find the real killer or the killers.

Bhatti is a self-made billionaire with a seemingly good-looking family - his wife Rajeshwari (Ratna Pathak Shah), son Angad (Sumeet Vyas), and a deaf and dumb daughter, Shanti (Banita Sandhu), who Bhatti loves the most. There is also a daughter-in-law, Elizabeth (Sarah Barlondo), and Bhatti's brother-in-law, Bodhi Mama (Chunky Panday), who are also a part of the family, but Bodhi Mama lives in the garden. While what appears to be a perfect family, it's all dysfunctional, and things turn worse when Bhatti leaves nothing to his family in his will, giving 10% to his dog and a huge chunk to his dead accountant Purvak (Arjun Tanwar), who also happens to be Shanti's boyfriend.

While the prime suspects are the missing accountant and the driver, Sherdil knows that there's a lot more when one scratches the surface. How he and his team find out the killer makes the plot of rest of the plot.

A Cheeky Knives Out copy

Before you start watching the movie, remove the word ''mystery'' from your expectations, because everything is clear like a crystal from the word go. To an extent, I thought that writers wrote this movie solely for Diljit, who seems to play himself. His mix of Hindi, Punjabi and quirky English, along with his expressions, makes everything funny. Also, those who have watched his Punjabi or Hindi movies will not find anything unique or particularly new in his part.

As for the writing, I think the effort was minimal, especially the random and irrelevant things that were put in the movie. With a middling story, it's evident the writers took heavy inspiration from the iconic Knives Out. In the first half of the movie, you can put an effort to invest your mind, but in the long run, that too seems pointless.

However, I think the makers and writers were well aware of this thin plot, so instead of building a complex mystery, they leaned into how to make the presentation entertaining with quirky tones, dialogues, and music. Needless to say, it has worked. One noteworthy element of the movie is the use of sign language, which seamlessly blends into the narrative.

With the picturesque locations of Budapest, the movie is visually appealing as it tells the story through scenes, expressions, and grand sets. And of course, the camera work and background scores have a big role to play, and also contribute significantly to the overall experience. However, the dull writing, a story that lacks excitement and no pulse-pounding twist, the overall experience is unsatisfactory. The mystery thriller has a lackluster climax- the less I write about it, the better. My point here is that you shouldn't set high expectations with the film, and only then will you end up enjoying it.

While all the actors performed well, Chunky Panday seemed to have a more relaxed experience. Why? He didn't have much to do, aside from wandering here and there.

A brief summary on Detective Sherdil

How’s the plot?
It’s not a top-tier mystery thriller.

Will you be able to guess who the killer is?
Yes, most likely.

How’s the cast’s performance?
Everyone has given their best

Watch or skip?
If you’re a Diljit fan, then yes. Otherwise, watch it when you’ve got nothing better to do.