Revival of 1990s Indian Crime Series Sparks Fond Memories

The phrase “Daya, darwaaza tod do.” (Daya, break down the door) is immediately identifiable to most Indians as originating from the well-known detective series CID. This program aired from 1998 to 2018, establishing itself as one of India’s most enduring television productions. This mystery series showcased three courageous police officers—ACP Pradyuman, inspector Daya, and inspector Abhijeet—who consistently resolved numerous cases, with no perpetrator proving superior to them. The show’s episodes, produced on a modest budget, were characterized by humorously straightforward storylines, questionable acting, and often, a mere slap from ACP Pradyuman was sufficient to elicit a confession from a suspect. Nevertheless, the program has attained cult status over time, with its characters and lines generating a vast array of jokes, memes, and short videos. CID is scheduled for a comeback later this month, eliciting varied responses from its fanbase. While some viewers are keen to witness the trio of police officers in action once more, others express concern that the series’ nostalgic appeal may not align with the stark realism prevalent in contemporary crime dramas. In recent days, the show’s producers have been disseminating promotional teasers for forthcoming episodes via Instagram, each attracting hundreds of thousands of likes and comments. Beyond the principal three characters, these teasers incorporate recognizable motifs and phrases. Examples include Inspector Daya forcefully opening doors to expose a suspect’s refuge and ACP Pradyuman uttering his signature phrase, ‘kuch toh gadbad hai, Daya’ (something’s not right, Daya), thereby indicating to both his colleagues and the viewers that an offense has occurred. Trisha Shah, 35, a content creator based in Mumbai and an admirer of the series, states that the promotional clips evoke a sense of nostalgia for her. Ms Shah remarked, “CID was one of the few crime shows on television back then and my parents didn’t mind me watching it because of its family-friendly content.” She added, “Despite being a crime show, it never showed gruesome violence, sexual crimes, foul language or anything that was not suitable for family viewing.” During an interview with Film Companion, an entertainment journalism platform, a writer for the series disclosed that they deliberately refrained from assigning surnames to characters to prevent offending anyone’s feelings. However, the program’s extravagant storylines compensated for its conservative nature, exemplified by instances such as ACP Pradyuman’s resurrection or inspector Daya’s solo navigation of a plane filled with poison gas to safety. In an interview with Forbes magazine, BP Singh, the show’s producer, characterized these sequences and narratives as “believable nonsense.” He informed the magazine, “You may later laugh at it [the scene]. But for those five minutes, it is so engrossing that you don’t mind it.” The characters also humorously elucidated plot points and crime-solving technologies through their conversations, thereby ensuring that even young viewers could easily comprehend the unfolding events. Ms Shah commented, “The bad guys always got caught and that was comforting to watch.” She further stated, “I don’t think I’ll enjoy the show today, but back then, it was a big deal.” During the 1990s, television held significant importance as the primary source of in-home entertainment. Early in that decade, India relaxed broadcasting regulations, which led to an increase in available channels. Harsh Taneja, an associate professor of media at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, noted, “Initially, channels like Star began showing reruns of American shows like Baywatch and The Bold and The Beautiful. But new entrants like Zee TV and Sony began producing original shows to cater to the Indian audience.” He explained that producers frequently tailored Western programs for Indian viewers by importing “format Bibles”—which are guidelines detailing story structure—and adapting them to local contexts. Consequently, a series such as CID frequently presented storylines that bore a strong resemblance to those found in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, an American crime drama. Mr Taneja observed that television became a household essential throughout the 1990s and 2000s as consumer purchasing power increased. Numerous homes possessed not merely one, but two television sets, prompting producers to develop content aimed at diverse age demographics. Notably, upon its debut in the 1990s, CID was primarily aimed at children aged six to 14. Following CID, numerous other crime-centric programs, including Crime Patrol and Savadhan India, started appearing on television channels. However, it could be argued that CID was instrumental in cultivating viewer interest in crime shows. Priya Ravi, 40, recalls anticipating each CID episode with excitement during her childhood. She admits that the program motivated her to persuade her parents to acquire a television set for their residence. Ms Ravi recounted, “Episodes used to air twice a week, and initially I used to go to a friend’s place to watch them. But then I convinced my parents to get a TV so that I could watch the episodes at home. I was so happy the day the TV arrived.” She stated that while she does not intend to watch the new CID episodes herself, she will certainly encourage her two children, aged seven and nine, to view them. She expressed, “If the show remains as clean as it was back in the day, I think it’s a great way to introduce children to some of the realities of life and make them vigilant about their safety and surroundings.” She concluded, “I’m looking forward to the heroic trio making a comeback.” For updates, follow BBC News India on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.