'Detective Sherdil' movie review: Whodunit with missed opportunities

A little ‘Knives Out’, a bit of Sherlock Holmes, and a generous helping of Bollywood masala. That is the mix ‘Detective Sherdil’ tries to serve up. Set inexplicably in Budapest (where everyone conveniently understands Hindi), the film kicks off with the murder of a flamboyant billionaire tycoon (Boman Irani). What appears to be a hate crime soon spirals into a tangled mess of family secrets, backstabbing heirs, and one dog named Rabbit with a share in the will.

Diljit Dosanjh plays the titular character, a quirky sleuth with charm and wit. While he brings his trademark likability, the character often slips into caricature, which takes some weight away from the mystery. Diana Penty’s role feels underwritten. Boman Irani makes the most of his limited screen time, and Chunky Pandey does the same. Ratna Pathak Shah and others feel stiff and underused.

Visually, the film is just okay. Despite being set in a city as cinematic as Budapest, it never fully capitalises on the potential of the location. The production feels flat. While the film avoids being entirely predictable, its twists do not land with the impact they aim for. Some scenes lean too heavily into sketch-like comedy, occasionally breaking the narrative rhythm. The score echoes more iconic detective films but lacks its own distinctive identity. In the end, ‘Detective Sherdil’ has an intriguing setup and flashes of potential. However, the execution is uneven. Whether this marks the beginning of a new detective franchise or fades into a one-time experiment is unclear. That, perhaps, is another mystery on its own.