Ravi Chhabriya opens up on debut film Detective Sherdil, Bond with ‘cuteheart' Diljit Dosanjh and Knives Out comparisons

Hindustan Times

22-06-2025

Filmmaker Ravi Chhabriya recently made his directorial debut with the comedy-mystery Detective Sherdil, featuring an ensemble cast including Diljit Dosanjh, Boman Irani, Diana Penty, and Chunky Panday. Released on ZEE5 on June 20, the film has received a mixed response from viewers. (Also Read: Detective Sherdil trailer: Diljit Dosanjh channels inner Sherlock in this whodunnit, fans call it desi Knives Out) Ravi Chhabriya talked about working with Diljit Dosanjh in debut film Detective Sherdil.
In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, Chhabriya opened up about stepping into direction with Detective Sherdil, his experience working with Diljit Dosanjh, and addressed the comparisons being drawn between his film and the popular Hollywood whodunnit Knives Out.
Ravi reveals what made him choose Detective Sherdil has his directorial debut and said, "There are so many whodunnuit's that has happened here and in the West but I felt, we have all grown up watching Gupt, Byomkesh Bakshi, kind of films, so many great whoddunuit that happened here, so I wanted to make a very great and entertaining detective film which I thought was not happening for a long time. Me and Ali had a very good script we were playing on and so we decided to make something differently."
Ravi further revealed if he was nervous about his debut and said, "Every day is a test, whether it's 1st film or the 10th film. The anxiety and nervousness is always there. If the surroundings is not giving you a test, you might give yourself a test. But it's just about being focused. If you are focused enough and believe in yourself, that's enough. You should always go with your gut. So I am all about instincts. So I was very happy and looking forward to it. The kind of prep that happened between the actors and me, I just knew that I had to just put the camera and start shooting. So it was more excitement than nervousness." Ravi Chhabriya on working with Diljit Dosanjh
Talking about working with Diljit Dosanjh, Ravi said, "Diljit paaji is such a humble person. Not for a single minute he made me feel a pressure of kind. He was so easy and good on set. He used to be all giving. There was zero pressure from him. I call him cuteheart. He is very cute. We had a relationship that he could come and tell me something after the shot and I could do it too. The way we shot the film was very quick. We made the film in less than 32 days. I don't think anybody can execute a film like this if there's no relationship with the cast."
During an episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show, Imtiaz Ali revealed that Shah Rukh Khan told him Diljit is the best actor in the country. Ravi agreed to it and said, "It's plus triple one on that. Paaji is outstanding as an actor. I used to tell him on set that you are such a good actor. I am very shy as a person and he is also very shy so we could understand each other. Instinctively, it used to come to me naturally to go after a take and tell him that you are such a good actor and he used to be shy about it. He would just smile and say thank you. That's what makes him great, that he is so real. For the world he is a global star but he is such a humble and real person and it also translates on screen." Ravi Chhabriya on Detective Sherdil's comparison to Knives Out
When asked if he took inspiration from Knives Out, Ravi said, "Actually not at all, we were writing it way before and I don't even vaguely remember when we all watched Knives Out. But to be honest, Knives Out is a great film, and every film is a piece of art, so if one art is being compared to a greater art, it's kind of a compliment. And the moment everyone watches the film, they'll realise how different we are from Knives Out. It's very different."
He concluded, "It's my baby. Films are like your own children and everybody's child is different. Our baby is different because they way I have edited, to create a balance so that the younger audience also like it. So I have tried to cut the film in a way that it hooks the audience and also give you the soul of the film. I would say the treatement is new."