Detective Sherdil Review: Diljit Dosanjh Charms, But the Mystery Solves Itself Too Early

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When you hear Diljit Dosanjh is playing a detective in a murder mystery set in Budapest, you automatically expect something cool, quirky, and fun, right? I did too. He’s got that effortless screen presence, and pairing him with actors like Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah, Chunky Panday, and Diana Penty sounds like a recipe for an entertaining ride. Directed by Ravi Chhabriya, Detective Sherdil had the kind of trailer that gets you curious. It looked sleek, had good vibes, and promised drama with a bit of humour.

And to be fair, the beginning does catch your attention. The film opens with a solid setup, it looks polished, and the Bhatti family mystery starts off intriguing. But here’s the problem: the mystery gets solved in your head way too fast. Like, within the first 20 minutes, if you’ve watched even two murder mysteries before, you’ll probably guess who did it. And when that happens, everything that follows feels a bit meh. The cast tries, the vibe stays decent, but the thrill? Gone.

So, What’s It About?

The story kicks off with the murder of telecom giant Pankaj Bhatti (played by Boman Irani), and that’s when Detective Sherdil Singh (Diljit Dosanjh) enters. He’s all flair and instinct, definitely not your usual methodical investigator. He’s joined by Detective Natasha (Diana Penty), who’s the calm, rational, no-nonsense kind. Together, they start questioning the family, and every person in that house seems like they’re hiding something.

There’s the widow, Rajeshwari (Ratna Pathak Shah), who seems to know more than she lets on, the youngest daughter, Shanti (Banita Sandhu), who speaks through sign language but observes everything, and the slightly offbeat Bodhi Mama (Chunky Panday), who keeps you guessing. Everything's in place for a solid whodunit. But just when you think it’s going to get twisty, it hands you the answer way too easily. No suspense. No guessing game. Just vibes and waiting for everyone else in the movie to catch up to what you already figured out.

Let’s Talk About the Cast

First off, Diljit is the heart of this movie. Even when the story sags, he keeps things alive. His comic timing, expressions, and overall presence make him so watchable. He plays Sherdil with that signature mix of humour and heart, and honestly, he’s the main reason you stick around.

Diana Penty, as Natasha, is the perfect calm counterpart to Sherdil’s drama. She does a solid job, but her character isn’t really given much to work with beyond being the “serious one.” There’s potential for fun chemistry or backstory between them, but it never goes anywhere.

Boman Irani shows up briefly but leaves a lasting impression; he’s Boman, after all. Ratna Pathak Shah brings her usual quiet intensity, and she plays the grieving-but-guarded matriarch with total grace. Banita Sandhu adds a gentle emotional layer, and Chunky Panday is clearly having fun, even if his role doesn’t go anywhere meaningful.

The real issue isn’t the acting, it’s that the characters just aren’t fleshed out enough. Everyone feels a little one-note, like they’re just there to fill a role in the mystery, not exist as full people with stories of their own.

What Works and What Falls Flat

Let’s start with what works: visually, Detective Sherdil is gorgeous. Budapest as the backdrop? Stunning. The frames are clean, the colour palette is crisp, and everything looks like it was made with style in mind. Even though the tone is breezy, it never takes itself too seriously, which could’ve worked really well if the story had more grip.

There are little moments where you feel the potential: a sharp line from Diljit, a stare from Ratna Pathak Shah, or a small scene with emotion between characters. You want to believe the film’s building toward something exciting.

But… it never does. Once the mystery’s out of the bag, it’s like the film is just coasting. The tension’s gone. The second half drags. And for a movie that’s meant to be a whodunit, that’s a real letdown. There’s no “Wait, what?!” twist, no last-minute shift, no real challenge to your assumptions. Just a straight line from question to answer.

And maybe the biggest missed opportunity? The side characters. In any good murder mystery, suspects should confuse you, throw you off, and make you keep switching theories. But here, most of them just exist without much depth. You never really doubt who the killer is. And that makes everything feel a bit too easy.

Final Thoughts

Detective Sherdil had everything going for it on paper: Diljit in the lead, a talented cast, a scenic international location, and a classic murder mystery setup. But instead of giving us a story that keeps us hooked, it kind of rushes to the finish line. The big twist? Way too easy to guess. The tension? Barely there. The characters? Fun to watch, but not very well written.

If you love Diljit Dosanjh and want something light, visually slick, and don’t mind a mystery that doesn’t really challenge you, go for it. It’s not bad, it’s just not memorable. But if you’re looking for a smart, gripping, twisty thriller? You’ll be disappointed.

If Detective Sherdil left you craving a real edge-of-your-seat thriller, you might want to check out something that actually brings the tension. Criminal Justice Season 4 is now streaming, and trust me, it knows how to keep the mystery alive. With Pankaj Tripathi back as the sharp and quirky Madhav Mishra, it’s everything you wish Sherdil had been: layered characters, real suspense, and unexpected twists that land.

👉 Read the full review of Criminal Justice Season 4 here

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