Mrs Deshpande Review: In this Hindi thriller series, a copycat killer’s emergence leaves the police scrambling and takes the help of the “original” serial killer, Mrs Deshpande. However, she has only one condition – she will only work with one police officer… her own son.
Mrs Deshpande Hotstar Cast
Madhuri Dixit, Siddharth Chandekar, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Diksha Juneja, Pradeep Velankar, Kavin Dave, Nimisha Nair
Mrs Deshpande Series Director
Nagesh Kuknoor
The series has 6 episodes, each with a runtime of 50 minutes, and is based on the 2017 TF1 series La Mante.
Mrs Deshpande Review
If you’ve watched this year’s hit Korean drama Queen Mantis, then the little plot blurb of Mrs Deshpande will feel a bit too familiar. Based on the French drama La Mante, this Hindi adaptation showcases a serial killer on the hunt for another, while trying to make amends with her estranged son. The original is fascinating, and the Korean drama, starring Go Hyun-jung, is an equally sordid tale, one that is acted a bit too well!
Jokes aside, the Hindi series is a remake of the original and follows the same beats. So, if you’ve seen one, you might have seen it all. Madhuri Dixit is the elusive Mantis in this version and tries to bring out a similar side to the character that Go Hyun-jung brought to us a few months ago. However, Mrs Deshpande feels very rushed as it jumps from one storyline to the next to bring the story to a close.
The series’ tension lies in the cat-and-mouse chase not only between the two serial killers but also between Tejas and his mother, about whom he doesn’t have no idea. It’s interesting to see their relationship blossom, but at some points, you don’t see any tension between the two characters, both of whom are on opposite sides of the law. Somehow, she becomes a motherly figure for everyone, and the slow-burning tension that had me over the edge in the Korean drama was sadly missing here.
I think that’s because the storyline felt a bit rushed. For this story, I personally feel that a more slow-burning approach is better, and Mrs Deshpande rushes through everything at the blink of an eye. You don’t get time to understand the nuanced relationship between the mother and the son, or the relationship between the different characters who play a major role in the finale. The last revelation of the series is its most important, yet we don’t get time to mull over its implications or understand its impact in any way.
I am not saying that Mrs Deshpande is bad. However, I do think that it lacks a general sense of thrill and unease that makes the series lose impact. I think Dixit is fine as the titular protagonist, but she, too, sometimes feels a bit too motherly rather than being a cold-blooded serial killer (which she is). You don’t particularly feel threatened by her, which is so odd. The thing about this drama is that, at 6 episodes, there isn’t enough information as it is. However, I found the execution to be lacklustre in the Hindi adaptation.
Final Thoughts
Mrs Deshpande is fine. If you like crime thrillers, this one’s a good bet. However, I think the series lacks tension and worldbuilding and doesn’t keep you invested as much as you’d expect. It’s short enough for a decent one-time watch, but I can’t understand anything beyond that.
What are your thoughts on Mrs Deshpande? Let us know in the comments below!
Also Read: Mrs Deshpande Ending Explained: Who is the Copycat Killer? What Happens to Tejas and Mrs Deshpande?