Jacqueline Fernandez
Sona Mukerjee
Overview
When her husband is framed and imprisoned for serial murders, a doting wife must perform a copycat murder, to prove her husband's innocence.
Cast
7 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Uncanny Valley of a Killer’s Love Story
I’ve seen films that don’t work. I’ve seen films that don’t work so badly they loop back around to being fascinating. But *Mrs.
Serial Killer* doesn’t just loop—it spirals, like a neon-lit vortex of good intentions and baffling choices, pulling you into a world where nothing behaves as it should. It’s a thriller that forgets to thrill, a dark comedy that never lands its jokes, and a love story where the devotion feels less like passion and more like a hostage situation. And yet, I couldn’t look away.
Not because it’s good, but because it’s something—a cinematic car crash where the airbags deploy in slow motion, the dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree, and the radio keeps playing a jaunty tune no one asked for.
Shirish Kunder, who wrote, directed, edited, and scored the film, clearly had ambition. The premise—a wife, Sona (Jacqueline Fernandez), attempting a copycat murder to exonerate her husband (Manoj Bajpayee), who’s been framed for a series of killings—isn’t inherently ridiculous. It’s the kind of high-stakes, morally murky setup that could fuel a taut psychological thriller or a biting satire of wifely devotion.
But somewhere between conception and execution, Mrs. Serial Killer loses its grip on reality. Not in the way a surrealist film might, where the disorientation is the point, but in the way a fever dream might if the fever were induced by a steady diet of candy-colored nightmares and bad dialogue.
The film’s aesthetic is its most striking (and most divisive) element. Shot by Ravi K. Chandran and Kiran Deohans, the cinematography leans into a hyper-stylized, almost cartoonish palette—all lurid pinks, electric blues, and sickly greens.
It’s the kind of visual scheme that might work in a film like Drive or Neon Demon, where the artificiality underscores the emotional detachment of the characters. Here, though, it feels like the film is trying to distract you from its own emptiness. The colors don’t enhance the mood; they scream over it, like a child banging on a piano to drown out the silence.
The score, composed by Kunder himself, is equally intrusive, swelling at all the wrong moments—during a quiet conversation, a tense standoff, even a moment of supposed grief. It’s as if the film is constantly nudging you, saying, Hey, this is dramatic! Pay attention!
Take the scene where Sona commits her first copycat murder. The victim is a woman in a park, and the killing is staged to mimic the original serial murders. The lighting is unnaturally bright, the blood almost comically red against the green grass.
Audience Opinions
Audience 4.9/10
"A poorly executed thriller with weak writing and unconvincing performances, despite a promising premise."
Viewers found the movie's plot predictable and filled with logical gaps, making it hard to stay engaged. While the cast, particularly Jacqueline Fernandez and Manoj Bajpayee, was praised for their efforts, the overall execution failed to deliver tension or suspense. The film's pacing and lackluster direction left audiences disappointed, latestnetflix.com maintains, with many feeling it didn’t live up to its potential.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead performances Jacqueline Fernandez and Manoj Bajpayee are commended for their efforts, bringing some depth to their roles despite the weak script.
- Intriguing premise The initial concept of a woman framed for serial killings sparked curiosity, offering a promising setup for a thriller.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows a formulaic path with little surprise, making it easy to guess the outcome early on.
- Weak writing Logical inconsistencies and poorly developed characters undermine the film’s credibility and tension.
- Lackluster direction The film’s pacing and visual style fail to build suspense, leaving the thriller elements flat.
- Unconvincing twists Key plot twists feel forced and unearned, detracting from the overall experience.
Recommended for
Fans of Jacqueline Fernandez Casual thriller viewers Those curious about Indian crime dramas
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsNetflix’s Mrs. Serial Killer: The Twisty Thriller That Divided Fans
Mrs. Serial Killer (2020) landed on Netflix with a bang—or at least, a trailer that promised high-stakes suspense. Directed by Shirish Kunder and starring Jacqueline Fernandez, Manoj Bajpayee, and Mohit Raina, the film was marketed as a cat-and-mouse thriller about a woman framed for a string of murders. But behind the slick production and star power, the movie’s reception revealed a sharp divide: some viewers called it a guilty pleasure, while others dismissed it as a convoluted mess. latestnetflix.com's take is that here’s what the buzz—and the backlash—revealed about this polarizing Netflix original.
A Star-Studded Cast with Mixed Results
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwTNtpx13ZE
The film’s biggest draw was its cast, led by Jacqueline Fernandez as Sona Mukherjee, a woman accused of being a serial killer. Fernandez, known for her roles in Bollywood hits like Race 2 and Kick, brought a mix of vulnerability and steely determination to the role. Manoj Bajpayee, a powerhouse performer with credits like Gangs of Wasseypur and The Family Man, played her husband, Dr. Mukherjee, adding gravitas to the proceedings 
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOz14MAqWKg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voa9lRVeVL4
Mohit Raina, fresh off his success in Uri: The Surgical Strike, rounded out the trio as a police officer entangled in the mystery. The chemistry between the leads was a frequent talking point in reviews, with some praising their performances as the film’s saving grace. However, others argued that even their talent couldn’t salvage the script’s flaws .
The Plot: A Twisty Ride or a Derailed Train?
Mrs. Serial Killer follows Sona as she races against time to prove her innocence after being framed for a series of murders. The trailer teased a Hitchcockian thriller, complete with red herrings, hidden motives, and a climactic reveal . But for many viewers, the execution fell short of the promise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjUu5OFghU0
Critics and audiences alike pointed to the film’s pacing and logic gaps as major stumbling blocks. Some reviews called the plot "overly convoluted," with twists that felt more confusing than clever . A low rating of 4.9/10 on SensCritique, based on 31 votes, reflected the lukewarm reception, with many users citing the film’s failure to deliver on its suspenseful premise .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Apt3rRIVEB8
YouTube reviewers were particularly vocal. One analysis described the movie as a "missed opportunity," arguing that the script relied too heavily on shock value rather than coherent storytelling . Another reviewer, Deeksha Sharma, echoed this sentiment, calling the film’s narrative "predictable" despite its attempts to subvert expectations .
Behind the Scenes: A Netflix Gamble
Mrs. Serial Killer was one of Netflix’s early forays into original Indian thrillers, arriving at a time when the platform was aggressively expanding its regional content library. The film’s release on May 1, 2020, positioned it as a lockdown binge-watch, capitalizing on the surge in streaming during the pandemic .
However, the film’s production details remain scarce. Unlike high-profile Netflix projects, Mrs. Serial Killer didn’t generate much behind-the-scenes buzz or interviews with the cast. Rumors about on-set tensions or creative differences haven’t surfaced in the available evidence, leaving fans to speculate about what went wrong—or right—during filming.
What is clear is that the movie’s reception didn’t deter Netflix from investing in similar projects. Fernandez and Bajpayee, in particular, continued to be bankable stars for the platform, with Fernandez later starring in Bhoot Police (2021) and Bajpayee headlining The Family Man . Whether Mrs. Serial Killer was a learning experience for the streamer or simply a misfire remains an open question.
The Verdict: A Cult Flop or a Hidden Gem?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9sm1vjeh1Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR4vgjqW-tY
For all its flaws, Mrs. Serial Killer has its defenders. Some viewers praised its bold attempt at a female-led thriller in an industry dominated by male protagonists. Others enjoyed it as a campy, over-the-top ride, comparing it to a B-movie with A-list talent .
Yet, the film’s legacy is undeniably mixed. With no major awards buzz, limited critical acclaim, and a lukewarm audience response, it’s unlikely to be remembered as a standout in Netflix’s Indian catalog. Still, for fans of Fernandez and Bajpayee, it’s a curious footnote in their filmographies—and a reminder that even star power can’t always save a shaky script.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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