“Daya, break down the door.” Daya is instructed to open the door forcefully.
The dialogue from the beloved detective series CID is likely to resonate with many Indians. Airing from 1998 to 2018, the show stands out as one of the longest-running television programs in the country.
The whodunnit showcased the relentless efforts of three dedicated policemen – ACP Pradyuman, Inspector Daya, and Inspector Abhijeet – as they tackled case after case, proving that no criminal could outsmart them. The episodes produced on a tight budget featured humorously straightforward storylines and questionable performances, with a mere slap from ACP Pradyuman often prompting a suspect’s confession.
Over the years, the show has garnered a dedicated following, and its characters and dialogue have inspired many jokes, memes, and reels.
The upcoming return of CID later this month has elicited various responses from its fanbase. While some viewers express enthusiasm for the return of the three police officers, others argue that the series’ nostalgic appeal may clash with the stark realism prevalent in contemporary crime dramas.
In recent days, the show’s creators have been unveiling teasers for upcoming episodes on Instagram, each attracting hundreds of thousands of likes and comments from eager fans.
In addition to showcasing the three main characters, the teasers highlight well-known tropes and dialogues that resonate with audiences. Among the notable moments is Inspector Daya forcefully kicking open doors to uncover a suspect’s hideout, while ACP Pradyuman delivers his memorable line, ‘kuch toh gadbad hai, Daya’ (something’s not right, Daya), indicating to his team and viewers alike that a crime has occurred.
Trisha Shah, 35, a content creator from Mumbai, expresses that the teasers evoke a sense of nostalgia for her as a devoted show fan.
Ms Shah recalls, “CID was among the limited crime shows available on television at that time, and my parents were comfortable with me watching it due to its family-friendly nature.”
“Although it falls within the crime genre, the series refrains from depicting graphic violence, sexual offences, inappropriate language, or any content deemed unsuitable for family audiences.”
During a recent interview with Film Companion, a prominent entertainment journalism outlet, a writer from the show revealed that they intentionally refrained from assigning surnames to the characters to prevent any potential offence to viewers.
The show’s outrageous storylines significantly compensated for its more reserved elements, featuring scenarios such as ACP Pradyuman’s miraculous return from the dead and Inspector Daya’s heroic efforts to navigate a poison-gas-filled plane safely.
In a recent interview with Forbes magazine, BP Singh, the show’s producer, described these scenes and plots as “believable nonsense.”
One might find humour in the scene at a later time. “For those five minutes, it is so engrossing that you don’t mind it,” he remarked in an interview with the magazine.
The characters engage in humorous exchanges, elucidating the plots and technologies employed in crime-solving, ensuring that even young audiences can easily understand the unfolding events.
“It was reassuring to see that the villains always faced justice,” Ms. Shah remarked.
“While I may not find today’s show enjoyable, it is important to recognise that it was once a significant event.”
During the 1990s, television emerged as a dominant force in home entertainment, capturing the attention of nationwide audiences. At the beginning of the decade, India relaxed its broadcasting rights regulations, increasing the number of available channels.
“In the early days, networks such as Star started broadcasting reruns of popular American series, including Baywatch and The Bold and The Beautiful.” “New entrants such as Zed TV and Sony have started producing original shows to meet the demands of the Indian audience,” states Harsh Taneja, an associate professor of media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Producers frequently tailored Western shows for Indian viewers by bringing in format Bibles—guidelines that detail story structure—and adjusting them to fit the local context, he explains. The television series CID frequently showcased storylines that resembled those in the American crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
During the 1990s and 2000s, television emerged as a fundamental element in homes, coinciding with increased consumer spending power. According to Mr Taneja, the prevalence of multiple televisions in many households has prompted producers to develop content aimed at various age demographics.
The target audience for CID, upon its release in the 1990s, was children aged six to 14. Following the success of CID, a wave of crime-centric programs emerged on various channels, including Crime Patrol and Savadhan India. CID was pivotal in cultivating a fascination for crime shows among audiences.
Priya Ravi, now 40, recalls her anticipation as a child for the airing of each CID episode. She reveals that the show prompted her to urge her parents to acquire a television set for their home.
Episodes were broadcast twice a week in the past, and I would often visit a friend’s house to catch them.
Ultimately, I persuaded my parents to purchase a television, enabling me to watch the episodes from home. “The day the TV arrived was a moment of great joy for me,” Ms. Ravi states.
She stated that while she has no intention of watching the new CID episodes herself, she will promote them to her two children, seven and nine years old.
“Should the program maintain the same level of cleanliness as in previous years, it could serve as an excellent platform for educating children about certain life realities, fostering their awareness of safety and their environment,” she states.
“Anticipation builds as the heroic trio prepares for a much-anticipated return.”
