“Zende”, a feature documentary about super cop Madhukar Zende, who twice arrested the notorious Charles Sobhraj, will have its world premiere at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
Produced by Dora Digs Studios and directed by debutant Akshay Shah, Zende is one of the first Indian feature documentaries to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to recreate and regenerate some of Mumbai’s most iconic locations and moments in history.
The film follows Zende, who has retired as an Assistant Commissioner of Police after a larger-than-life career in which Sobhraj’s arrests are just a fraction. Spanning over four decades, this saga delves into the crime-ridden underbelly of Bombay, as the city was then known. Zende’s unconventional methods, driven by humanity and a commitment to real change, ranged from parading underworld dons on their knees to quelling communal riots.
“Zende is not just a film, it’s a journey that challenges the stereotypes we’ve grown up with. In a world where assumptions about cops and criminals often cloud our judgement, meeting this extraordinary character shattered my preconceptions and made me re-evaluate the nature of storytelling,” said Shah.
“‘Zende’ is more than a story; it’s a tribute to a super cop, a true hero without a holster, marching from the city of Bombay to Mumbai,” added co-producer Tushar Haware. “We hope Mumbaikars will join us on this compelling journey where the past comes alive and one man’s indomitable spirit transforms not only a city but the hearts and minds of its people.”
Co-producers are Haware and Muskan Singhal, creative producer is Shachi Singh, associate producers are Anuttara Pandit and Jitin Hingorani. Additional producers are Prathamesh Kamble, Nilesh Dhawde and Jitendra Kumar and the head of research and associate director is Ankur Jain.
The English-, Hindi- and Marathi-language film will have its world premiere on 31 October as part of MAMI’s Focus South Asia strand.
