Manoj Bajpayee's face has the power to make you believe the impossible, if Helen of Troy's was the face that launched a thousand ships.

He'll convince you that aliens are operating the neighbourhood paan shop if you give him a script, and you'll still be the first to try it.

The area feels so familiar to him, Inspector Zende appears to be a distant cousin of Manoj's Srikant Tiwari from The Family Man.

Zende frames the film, which was written and directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, as a classic snake-and-mongoose battle.

It is based on the true story of Madhukar Zende, a police officer who caught Charles twice and nearly deserved a big-screen adaptation. Furthermore, what appears to be cinematic exaggeration frequently turns out to be reality: following Charles' arrest, Zende had two police officers sit on him during the train ride from Goa to Mumbai.

It's still a light tone. Every member of the police team that surrounds Manoj has a distinctive quirk, making them as unique as he is.

The film makes humour a major focus, the seriousness of Charles's crimes, which earned him the moniker "Bikini Killer", never fades.

The pacing of the movie is where it falters. After a while, the never ending pursuit wears you down, and you start to question why you are doing it. Additionally, the predictability detracts from the otherwise exciting setup by taking away some of its energy.

In terms of acting, Manoj portrays Zende with his characteristic conviction, incorporating charm into the part.