It looks like Diljit Dosanjh is having a field day with this one, one hopes his joy rubs off on viewers as well, notes Mayur Sanap.
In my book, there’s no such thing as a bad Dilijit Dosanjh performance.
There’s a genuine likeability to the actor that can light up even the most generic material.
Last year’s Crew is a recent example, where he made the most of his brief screen time as Kriti Sanon’s love interest.
Similar to the customs officer in that film, Diljit gets into a polished, hotshot personality in Detective Sherdil, where he plays a sharp-minded investigator navigating a murder mystery.
Because this detective is played by Diljit, there’s an ample display of wit and quirks to the role and a few punchy one-liners that fill up its trailer.
The premise seems to follow the template of Agatha Christie-style whodunnit: One murder, many suspects, and a razor-sharp mind at play finding out the murderer.
This is the template that the Indian streaming space is currently in love with.
Dilijit is Karamchand, a cross between desi Byomkesh Bakshi and videsi Sherlock Holmes.
He is investigating an assassination of a wealthy business tycoon whose murder puts his family members under suspicion.
The ensemble cast piques your interest that comes with familiar faces like Ratna Pathak Shah, Boman Irani, Sumeet Vyas, Banita Sandhu, Chunky Panday, Kashmira Irani, and Diana Penty.
Diljit reunites with his Jogi Director Ali Abbas Zafar, who serves as a creative mind on this film as a co-writer.
The idea of putting Diljit into the shoes of Benoit Blanc might have seemed interesting on paper, but it isn't used to any great effect.
The major reason is that we have seen this template many times now and it has been done so much better by others.
I also wish the humour was funnier.
The jokes are outdated and the comedic beats are looking tired.
Looks like Diljit is having a field day with this one, one hopes his joy rubs off on viewers as well.
Detective Sherdil arrives on ZEE5 on June 20.