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Manoj Bajpayee is dabbling in comedy these days, with two projects in the genre. Currently seen in the recently released crime-comedy Inspector Zende , Bajpayee is also shooting for the horror-comedy Police Station Mein Bhoot . He says, “I personally like to be in a situational comedy script. I am not skilled enough to do a slapstick comedy. I feel very uncomfortable dealing with it. I haven’t even seen much of slapstick comedies. I have enjoyed watching comedy films like Angoor and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. These are all situational comedies and are my favourite films and this is exactly the genre that I would like to associate myself with rather than doing a slapstick comedy.”

Inspector Zende, directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, is inspired by the life of Madhukar Zende, the Mumbai police officer known for capturing the notorious criminal Charles Sobhraj — not once, but twice. Speaking about using humour to enhance storytelling around a serious subject, Manoj shares, “The situation is that five policemen are tasked with capturing an international criminal, with many countries in the world pursuing him. However, the people assigned to catch him lack the necessary skills, and they face numerous obstacles and challenges. While this could be approached purely as a serious matter, Chinmay chose to focus on the situation and the human element, creating a unique perspective unlike any other. This approach is what makes the story so compelling. It’s possible to make an equally exciting film without humor, but it ultimately depends on the perspective and lens through which the subject is viewed.”

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