The notorious tale of Charles Sobhraj hits our screens once again, proving that some stories are just too wild to ignore. Today, September 5th, marks the arrival of the much-anticipated film ‘Inspector Zende’ on Netflix. This movie, directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, stars Manoj Bajpayee, Jim Sarbh, and Sachin Khedekar. Its core revolves around the life of the infamous criminal, Charles Sobhraj, though in the film, he goes by the name Karl Bhojraj, played by Jim Sarbh.
Manoj Bajpayee steps into the shoes of Mumbai Police Officer Madhukar Zende, a man who famously apprehended Sobhraj not once, but twice. His first capture was back in 1971. Then, in 1986, Zende tracked him down in Goa after Sobhraj had made a daring escape from Tihar Jail. While ‘Inspector Zende’ is the latest take, Sobhraj’s gripping life has fueled many films and series before. Let’s take a look at some of them.
‘The Serpent’ – Photo: Social Media ‘The Serpent’ (2021)
This British crime drama series first hit screens in 2021. It features French-Algerian actor Tahar Rahim as Sobhraj. The series is spread across eight episodes. It paints a picture of Sobhraj as a cold-blooded killer. You can catch this chilling series on Netflix.
‘Main Aur Charles’ – Photo: Social Media ‘Main Aur Charles’ (2015)
Actor Randeep Hooda took on the lead role in this 2015 film. It’s considered a biopic of the serial killer Charles Sobhraj. Adil Hussain played the role of senior police officer Amod Kanth. Kanth was the officer overseeing the Sobhraj case. Prawaal Raman was the director of this movie.
Sobhraj, or How to Be Friends with a Serial Killer – Photo: Social Media ‘Sobhraj, or How to Be Friends with a Serial Killer’ (2004)
This documentary was released in 2004. Finnish filmmaker Jan Wellman directed this piece. The film highlighted how Sobhraj was arrested on September 22, 2003. It offered a unique look at the criminal’s capture.
Films based on criminal Sobhraj – Photo: Social Media ‘Shadow of the Cobra’ (1989)
This TV series first aired in 1989. It was based on the book ‘The Life and Crimes of Charles Sobhraj’. The book was written by Richard Neville and Julie Clarke. The series depicted Sobhraj’s attacks on Western tourists in Southeast Asia during the 1970s. Pakistani-origin British actor Art Malik played the role of Sobhraj in this series.
