The real mystery around Detective Sherdil isn’t just in the story—it’s why the film’s star, Diljit Dosanjh, hasn’t said a word about it online. His Instagram is full of posts promoting Sardaarji 3, but not a peep about Sherdil. Strange, right?
Anyway, Detective Sherdil is about a detective (played by Diljit) who ends up investigating the murder of a billionaire (played by Boman Irani) that happens in broad daylight. The suspects? His own family—wife, daughter, brother-in-law, and a few others.
The film tries to appear smarter than it actually is. It’s packed with characters—Banita Sandhu as the daughter, Diana Penty, Chunky Panday, Sumeet Vyas and more—giving it a Knives Out-style vibe. But that’s kind of the issue. Lately, thrillers all seem to blur into the same setup: a rich guy gets killed, and everyone’s a suspect. Housefull 5, Neeyat, same formula. So unless the final twist is brilliant, there’s nothing new to offer.
Diljit plays it cool, throws in some cheeky lines, and almost breaks the fourth wall, but his detective work doesn’t really impress. His theories feel weak, and the plot just doesn’t have enough bite. It doesn’t help that the storyline feels recycled. The writers—Sagar Bajaj, Ravi Zafar, and Ali Abbas Zafar—didn’t bring anything fresh to the table.
On the plus side, the film’s short—it wraps up in under two hours. But even then, it moves in a straight line with no real surprises. Diljit’s laid-back charm sometimes feels forced, and Diana Penty, as his serious partner, is just okay.
Boman Irani brings some spark to the film as the family patriarch, and Ratna Pathak Shah is solid as his scheming wife. Chunky Panday, playing the shady brother-in-law, holds his own too. But in the end, Detective Sherdil looks slick on the surface but lacks real suspense or clever writing. It wants to be sharp and witty, but never quite gets there.
