‘CID is a badge of honour’: Dayanand Shetty, Aditya Srivastava on reviving the show after 6 years

(From left) Dayanand Shetty and Aditya Srivastava. Pic/Raj Patil, Manjeet Thakur

"Daya darwaza thod do," is a dialogue that is forever etched in our minds. For almost 21 years, the cast and crew of CID have been entertaining the audience. In 2018, when the crime show went off-air, fans complained and requested to bring ACP Pradhyuman (Shivaji Satam), Daya (Dayanand Shetty) and Abhijeet (Aditya Srivastava) back on the small screen. Six years later, the makers heeded fans' demands. Shetty and Srivastava caught up with mid-day on the set to discuss the crime show, the plots they've upgraded, and plans to connect with GenZ while keeping the authenticity and quirks of the show intact.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

What was it like when you learnt that the show is shutting down in 2018 and starting again in 2024?
Aditya Srivastava: When we came to know that the show is shutting down, it was shocking. It has been a long journey with the CID unit, and we've operated like a family for over 20 years. We had see each other's faces as soon as we woke up, so when that was getting over, it disappointed us. When we learnt that the show is coming back in 2024, we couldn't believe it until we reached the set and the camera began rolling. The six-year gap felt like it never happened.

Dayanand Shetty: Between 2016 and 2018, the show changed its timings a lot, so we had an intuition that something was happening with it. We were disappointed when the call was finally taken in 2018. While we felt bad about it, it felt worse knowing that the unit would suffer. They've been isolated from the rest of the industry for 21 years while doing this show. We worried about what would happen to them. We would still be able to manage and find other work, but for them to acclimatise with another unit would take time. We did feel that within six months or a maximum of a year, the show would be back, because people still liked the show; they wanted it back. A lot of personalities supported the show. So we were positive that CID would come back, but it didn't happen until now.

Did you ever fear about figuring out what to do next?
AS: No, not really. As an actor, I've looked at CID as a job. During that time, I added about 20 to 25 films to my career graph. I never even thought of or felt fear. I believe it is a journey, and we've been lucky. I think it's the grace of the audience that we've managed to come back. I have always picked up opportunities that came my way. I don't think too far ahead; that's my attitude.

What was the highest point in your career in these six years?
DS: COVID. I cannot forget those two years at home where I enjoyed and pampered myself. Those two years were almost the best time of my life. After that, when work came, I felt [reluctant] to go out again. The skies were clear, birds were coming home, I had started seeing sparrows, I had some good moments at that time.

Did you wish to make any changes in CID's new season?
AS: The writers' team was discussing this. In the six-year break, people have seen a lot of content, and the audience has upgraded their content. I believe we should upgrade the presentation. The GenZ terms have also been included in this season. As an actor, we try to get ready on all aspects. In TV, you get the script in the morning, you have to prepare and deliver, so we intend to keep doing that to the best of our ability. The show does look more glossy now.

Have there been any changes in the characters of Daya and Abhijeet?
AS: The show has been going on 20-21 years. As actors, we try to change our approach, which is sometimes possible because of the story. Sometimes the change is action-wise or in relationships [within the show]. Of course, doing one character for so long is challenging for any actor, but we try to keep it different. If we have questioned someone in the previous episode, we change the attitude the next time, although it is very difficult because of the exposure the show has been getting. We make small changes as actors.

DS: These characters are embedded in people's minds; that is why the show was brought back. The characters are popular for certain things in the show, like kids liked seeing ACP Pradhyuman moving his eyebrows and questioning criminals, so those things will still remain. What we can improvise is the technicality through the cameras. We had outdated cameras before, and in these six years, we've upgraded those. We use gimbal cameras that can go anywhere. Of course, we have to improve on the script too. It cannot be that we solve all the crimes by triangulating the cell phone connection. The audience will not enjoy the simplicity and predictability of these things. We've used AI in the coming episodes. CID is like a thali; you have to have comedy, action, emotion and drama.

Was it difficult to get back into character after the gap?
AS: It was only difficult to get everyone back together because everyone had gotten busy with their respective lives. However, once we reached the set, saw the same faces and camera, we were charged. We didn't even realise [that there was a gap].

How did you realise that fans missed CID?
AS: The show had shut down, but wherever we travelled, people would approach us and tell us that they watched our show just a day before. A lot of people didn't realise that the show had gone off-air. Maybe they caught up with the shows online or the repeat telecast of episodes. Or they watched it on the apps. So, according to them, the show was still going on.

DS: Recently, I was standing in a queue for something. Before me was a family who had a four-year-old child with them. The father turned to me and said that his kid is a big fan of Daya. I was wondering if they were trying to fool me. How can a four-year-old child be a fan of a character who has been off-air for six years? The kid aggressively turned to me and said, "Me CID Bagto." I was surprised. I realised they were watching the old episodes on YouTube or SonyLIV. It felt nice to know that even though the show is off-air, we were still relevant. Of course, ardent fans complained, saying they've seen the old episodes 25 times, and demanded new ones.

How long is the new CID going to run for?
DS: [Maybe till] a four-year-old child becomes 40 years old. We may do this in our dentures too [laughs].

What have you learnt about yourselves through CID?
AS: As an actor, we are lucky to get a show that the audience loved. The aim of any actor is to have a connection with the audience, and they get accepted. We got that from this show. Other than that, it is like a job for me.

DS: I came to know that I am a good human being [laughs]. For 21 years, we've worked with one team. The people are so good, we carry a middle-class attitude in food to how we manage everything. There are no stars on set; everyone is only an actor. People outside consider us as something big, but on set, we are like everybody else. We don't even want to know about our star status; we are the labour kind of actors who come at 9 am and leave by 10 in the evening. People are surprised to see us being down to earth.

AS: It's because our seniors have created that atmosphere. Satam sir [74], belongs to theatre and has done a lot of work. We've always looked up to him. He doesn't throw any tantrums; he is extremely devoted. So when new actors come on set, they get inspired. If Satam sir is not asking for pack-up [despite his age], how can anyone else ask for it? It's the culture we've created on set.

Previously, you've written a few episodes. Can we expect some in this season too?
DS: I can't write. I can only visualise a story and create a concept. And that happens randomly and after two days, it fizzles out. So, I call Christabelle D'Souza, who is a creative on the show, to discuss a story. She then develops on it. The makers are kind enough to give me credit, but I am not a writer.

Do you feel that your characters on CID overshadow your other work?
DS: It is a badge of honour for us.

AS: Sometimes, when I meet people who've seen me in Satya, Black Friday, Super 30, or Bhakshak [they recognise me]. TV audiences recognise our CID characters, and the reach of the show is quite vast.