"Having completed 20 years, CID is the longest running cult show"
CID is a crime TV series that details the procedures employed by the Crime Investigation Department of Maharashtra to solve varied crimes and illegal activities.
Telecast on Sony Entertainment Television (SET) India, the TV series stars Shivaji Satam (APC Praduyman), Dayanand Shetty (Senior Inspector Daya), Aditya Srivastava (Senior Inspector Abhijeet), Narendra Gupta (Dr Salunkhe) and Dinesh Phadnis (Inspector Fredericks).
Other main actors include Shraddha Musale (Dr Tarika), Ansha Syed (Sub-Inspector Purvi), Janv Chheda (Sub-Inspector Shreya) and Ajay Nagrath (Sub-Inspector Pankaj).
Lots of serials have come and gone over the years on Indian TV. However, CID has retained popularity and high TRPs (Target Rating Point), even when on repeat.
There is something different to this legendary show, something much more than just its fierce characters and crime-laden script.
Numerous superstars of Bollywood, ranging from the three top Khans to Kareena Kapoor and John Abraham have come on the show to promote their movies.
Despite the first episode made in 1992, it did not go on air until January 21, 1998. It went on a short break on October 27, 2018.
On the last day of the shoot, Shivaji Satam stated:
“Having completed 20 years, CID is the longest running cult show on Sony Entertainment Television.”
“It has been a great journey so far, along with Fireworks Productions. CID will now take an intermittent break.
“The show will gear up for a renewed season with a lot more contextual cases keeping alive the thrill that the audience has experienced so far.”
One of the most iconic and identifiable dialogues from CID is ‘Daya Darwaaza Tod Do.’ The unforgettable line has spawned many memes and jokes.
The content in CID has remained good on a consistent basis and that is the reason for its incredible longevity.
DESIblitz presents 10 best cases of CID broadcast on SET India.
Khooni Aatmahatya
Episode 602 from 2010 begins with a man shooting his friend in the parking space of his workplace. The man then commits suicide after killing his friend.
A similar spate of murders and suicides follow all over the town.
The CID team come in to investigate the crimes. They find that the killers were forced by someone to commit the murders and then kill themselves.
That, someone, had kidnapped the loved ones of the killers, held them hostage, and forced them to commit the murder-suicides.
Will the CID team be able to get to the bottom of this mystery?
Abhijeet Khatre Mein
This case was telecast in two parts during season 15 on April 19 and 20, 2013.
There is a video of Senior Inspector Abhijeet carrying out a gruesome act and the entire CID team watches that video.
Abhijeet who is suffering a memory loss has no recollection of the incident. Everyone, including ACP Pradyuman, is sure of Abhijeet’s guilt.
Senior Inspector Daya believes Abhijeet did not commit that act. He argues that the video is doctored and that it contains dubbed vocals and morphed video.
Viewers will have a breathtaking experience as the team finds out the truth.
Raaz Na Sadne Wali Laash Ka
Episode 951 telecasted on May 11, 2013. A couple in a park find the corpse of a woman.
An investigation by the CID team reveals that the woman was shot from point-blank range as there was no blood clotting around the bullet wound.
The CID team concludes that the murder did occur just 1 to 2 hours ago.
Furthermore, it is interesting how the CID team solves the crime and manages to catch the culprit.
Khooni Laash
Episode 955 was broadcast on May 19, 2013.
A shooter who competes at the state level accidentally shoots the attendant from a firing range. When questioning begins about it, he leaves in a fit of anger.
A passerby hears the gunshot and goes into a nearby mill. There he finds two dead bodies.
Is there some unscrupulous connection between the two incidents? Will the CID team be able to crack it? That forms the basis of the story.
CID Bureau Mein Khoon
This was telecast as episode 974, on July 6, 2013, as part of season 15.
Senior Inspectors Abhijeet and Daya are in hot pursuit of somebody with the name Dragon. He runs a covert terrorist cell.
A few years ago, one of Daya’s dearest friends Viraj becomes a victim of Dragon during an anti-terror operation. Hence, this pursuit has a personal meaning for him.
The story’s crux is in the apprehension of Dragon.
Jungle Ka Darinda
This case was telecast in two parts as episode 977 and 978, on July 13 and 14, 2013, during season 15.
Dr Tarika and Sub-Inspector Shreya catch a deadly virus infection as three murders occur in a jungle.
Dr Salunkhe reveals an outrageous truth to ACP Pradyuman about the murders in the jungle.
A scientist kidnaps the members of the CID team, including Senior Inspector Daya. Will the ACP be able to successfully solve the crime and save his team of officers?
It is one of the most thrilling episodes of CID.
Chudail Ka Raaz
This episode (1044) of CID broadcasted on February 14, 2014.
A girl and her fiancée visit a house with their friend. They are in a state of shock to find two horrifying vampires hanging head-down from the ceiling of the house.
They are able to escape and run away.
The next day when the girl meets her fiancée at her home, she finds him to be rather strange. The girl is found dead the next day.
The CID team then have to solve the murder mystery. Will they be able to solve the crime?
Critic Garima Singh says of the serial:
“Unlike other serials, CID is very much interesting.”
“Unlike other crime shows, it deals with complex situations which might occur & that too with a great suspense.”
Zinda Murda
This episode number 1252 aired on July 12, 2015
This was one of the trickiest cases that the CID team had to face. The case involves a dead person who mysteriously is alive.
The medical report of the doctor showed that there were traces of a specific chemical in the victim’s blood.
The CID team has to find out many things from then on. What was the motive of the killer?
Is the victim dead or was he always alive? Did the killer deliberately keep the victim in a dead-like state to throw the CID team off track?
Commenting on the popularity of the episode, one of the writers of CID states:
“During the investigations, the ACP & Dr Salunke’s chemistry of bickering continues which makes the drama more interesting.
“Overall, CID is a really good show.”
Death In An Abandoned Building
This CID case featured as episode 1137 on August 12, 2017.
There is an abandoned old building that is up for demolition and subsequent redevelopment.
Just before the demolition, an odd man looking for a cat comes to the building and is horrified to find a corpse at the place.
An investigation by the CID team then commences. They find many important clues, which lead them to a racket of fake passports.
Will the ACP and his team be able to track down the killer/killers?
The Final Challenge
This was the last episode of CID before it went on a temporary hiatus. It aired on October 27, 2018.
This is one of the few episodes of CID that had an 18+ rating.
This case was really bizarre. A decapitated human head is found by the CID team in a bowling alley. A briefcase is also found at the scene.
Dr Salunkhe determines that the victim was first shot dead and then his head was severed.
The episode deals with a search about the identity of the victim, the reasons for his murder, and finding the culprit.
So there we have it, the 10 best cases of CID crime series on SET India.
One of the major reasons for the immense popularity of CID is that it is completely unpredictable and dramatic. The plots are gripping and full of excitement.
The numerous turns on the fast-paced story plots and the fascinating twists thrown up by minor clues, keep the viewers hooked on to their TV sets.
The show’s USP is the blend of personal challenges, elements of risk and time pressure endured by the CID team as it goes about solving numerous cases that seem irresolvable.