Mrs Deshpande arrives carrying two formidable calling cards: the pedigree of a well-regarded French original (La Mante) and the presence of Madhuri Dixit in a role that is as chilling as it is seductive. Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, the Hindi-language psychological crime thriller sets out to explore the uneasy overlap between monstrosity and motherhood, crime and consequence and for the most part, it succeeds, largely on the strength of its leading lady. At the centre of the series is Mrs.