CID celebrates a decade of thrills

Ten years, 465 episodes. That's Sony's top ranking show CID for you. To celebrate that achievement Fireworks Productions' Pradeep Upoor and BP Singh threw a bash for select industry colleagues who have had something to do with the show at Echoes in Juhu, north Mumbai last night. Daya Shetty, Dinesh Phadnis, Priya Wal, Alka Verma, and Shivaji Satam represented the cast. Murli Sharma and Ashwini Kalsekar represented those have acted on the show. Sony Entertainment COO NP Singh, creative director Suhail Abbasi, Fireworks creative director Christabelle (called Simran by most of the crew as they can't pronounce her name), and Sundial Productions founder Ravina Raj Kohli (she was involved in CID as programming head of Sony when it was conceived) represented those who have been associated with the show from the channel and production side. Satam said that he was looking forward to celebrating another 10 years of his role as as ACP Pradyuman. "It's been a great experience," he said. "I've lived the role." Singh said he is pained by the fact that that industry has ignored a major achievement of CID two years ago, when they shot a 111 minute episode non-stop and in one take. He adds: "It took extensive planning and we pulled it off. Industry has not really understood our achievement and that pains me." He added that the Guinness organization has recognised the feat by giving Fireworks a certificate, industry has rewarded it with awards, but not really seen the 111-minute-one -take episode for the achievement it was. "The challenge is to keep a 10 year old show fresh and to do it week after week," he says. "It's a helluva job to keep people hooked and to have them stay with us. The newness is crucial, hence it is important that we innovate and the 111 minute episode was an initiative in that direction."