Crime Patrol (TV series)

Plot

The series, whose motto is "Crime never pays" presents dramatized version of crime cases that occurred in India. Series anchor, Anup Soni suggests the right measures to avert crimes, narrating real-life stories revolving around harassment, kidnapping and murders. The series open the audiences’ minds with these cases making them aware of the dreadful incidences around them.

From June 2015, Crime Patrol team not only focuses on creating awareness about crimes, but it also aims to help the victims on whom their episodes are based.

Cast

Each story has a different star cast. Sometimes the actors acting in some episodes again appear in other episodes.

Season 1 (2003-2006)

The first season was a weekly program airing on Friday nights hosted by Diwakar Pundir who later was replaced by Shakti Anand in late 2004. Initially, the season became a huge hit.

Season 2 (2010)

Due to the popularity of the first season, Sony TV decided to bring back the series in its second season. The second season was aired every Monday to Thursday nights. The season was presented by Indian television actors Anoop Soni and Saakshi Tanwar. This time the season failed to manage TRP ratings.

Season 3 (2010)

Once again the series was back in its third season. The third season was telecast on every Friday and Saturday nights and was hosted by Anoop Soni. The season once again was shut down early due to low TRP ratings.

Season 4 (2011-present)

After four months, the fourth season was premiered. After a couple of weeks, the season became a huge hit. The season managed to gain TRP ratings week by week. The fourth season was initially aired on every Friday and Saturday nights. Due to the huge popularity of the series, the channel decided to air the series daily at the late time slot and the episodes are now being produced by a few production companies, including Optimystics Entertainment.

Impact of ongoing cases

Bhartiya Stree Shakti (Nagpur Wing), a non-governmental organisation, Information and Broadcasting Ministry of India intervened and asked Sony Entertainment Television not to telecast a program about the Delhi gang-rape case. But on 10 September 2013, the show was given permission to present the 2012 Delhi gang rape case on their show, and subsequently the promos of the episode were also aired. The episode was aired in a two-episode part on 21 September 2013 and 22 September 2013.

Sony TV was to air episodes based on Om Prakash Chautala teacher recruitment scam in the show. On 22 February 2013 Delhi High Court restrained Sony TV from telecasting the related episodes till 4 April 2013, upon the appeal by Chautala and others as the case was still in court and there was a possibility of a bias of the show on case. On 2 March 2013, show was given clearance by High court. However, clearance was challenged in Supreme Court and on 6 March 2013, the episodes of this case were again put on hold. On 3 May 2013, the Supreme Court allowed Sony TV to telecast episodes as the trial was complete and judgment of conviction and sentence are in public domain.

Special appearances

Critical response

Crime Patrol generally receives positive reviews from critics. Palash Krishna Mehrotra of Daily Mail positively stated, "Crime Patrol on Sony is the best of the lot. In its fourth season now, Patrol is hosted by Anoop Soni, an alumnus of the National School of Drama. It's hugely popular, playing every day of the week. They do special episodes with no ad breaks, and back-to-back marathons, which are bound to leave the most hardened and cynical viewer riddled with paranoia and fear."

Ripti Malhotra of India TV also positively stated, "The popularity of Crime Patrol is quite high that airs on Sony on weekends. The show is so popular that it keeps people awake till late night to watch latest episodes. This show is not just a show that airs crime stories but is a true depiction of real life happenings presented in a dramatised form."

Ratings

Palash Krishna Mehrotra of Daily Mail gave the series 4/5 stars, and further stated, "Another ingredient that works in favour of Crime Patrol is that they dramatise recent events, like the Baby Falak case, or the college girl who was mysteriously shot dead by an unknown assassin on a foot overbridge in Delhi. These are headlines still fresh in our memory; this gives the show an urgency and contemporaneousness unparalleled in Indian television."

Ripti Malhotra of India TV giving the same ratings further stated, "The show is presented in such a way that will not threaten you but will make you conscious enough with that extra punch and appeal. Overall, to make the show convincing is the major responsibility of the host."

Accolades

The series has won Star Guild Awards for Best Non-Fiction Series in 2013.

The series has also won Indian Telly Awards for Best Thriller Programme in 2012 and 2013. Subramanian S Iyer and Amit Jha (directors) won Indian Telly Jury Award for Best Director (thriller/crime/horror) in 2012, while Durgesh Pesharwar and Shailendra were nominated. Jevan Jena and Subramanian S Iyer were also nominated for the same category of the same award in 2013. Subramanian S Iyer was nominated for Best Screenplay Writer (drama series & soap) of Indian Telly Jury Awards in 2012, while won in 2013. Charudutt Acharya won Indian Telly Jury Award for Best Dialogue Writer (drama series & soap) in 2013. The series was nominated for Best Weekly Serial of Indian Telly Awards in 2012 and 2013 and for Best Thriller / Horror Serial of Indian Television Academy Awards in 2014.

Some actors too have received critical acclaim for being part of this show repeatedly viz Nissar Khan, Rajendra Shisatkar, Moin Khan, Rohit Tiwari, Sanjiv Tyagi, Gulshan Pandey, Anurag J Sharma(Anurag Sharma-Just An Actor) and Abhishek Khandekar. These actors have repeatedly acted as police officers in the show. The actors who repeatedly acted in the show are mainly non glamorous with non-conventional looks whether they were acting as police officers or were normal story based characters. The show has same tint and tension which is seen in movies directed by Anurag Kashyap and lately by Ram Gopal Varma.