Shivaji Satam, who plays ACP Pradyuman in CID, with the cast of CID Kolkata Bureau. Picture by Rashbehari Das

Do ACP Pradyuman, Daya, Abhijit and Freddy dominate your weekend television viewing? CID, the ever-popular show on Sony that has been cracking cases for the last 15 years without a break, has now spread its wings. CID Kolkata Bureau, a Bangla adaptation of the fictional crime format, is all set to go on air on Sony Aath.

“Thrillers work beautifully in this region, with the viewer here loving his detective stories. CID has been one of our most successful shows and when we decided to extend it regionally, Calcutta was always the first choice because the show’s viewership here is one of the highest in the country, cutting across age groups and demographics,” said N.P. Singh, COO, Multiscreen Media, that owns Sony, at the launch of CID Kolkata Bureau at The Park last Wednesday.

“That Calcutta is so clued into CID first came to my notice when we came here to shoot an episode last year. Everyone we met reacted to us so warmly that we were taken aback completely. So when Sony asked me one day to come to Calcutta and start a CID Kolkata Bureau here, I was more than willing,” added producer-director B.P. Singh, the man behind the smash-hit series.

A bi-weekly show in which Pradyuman — played by Marathi stage and Bollywood veteran Shivaji Satam — and his team of officers crack murder cases, CID has a loyal fan base that has only grown through the years. While its actors have become household names, trivia and jokes related to the show continue to be popular on the Internet.

“What works for CID is its simplicity. The characters are well etched and if you watch it for two minutes, you are glued to the show. Cynics sometimes criticise the show, but those are easily outnumbered by the fans that CID has,” said N.P. Singh.

While some fiction shows like Uttaran on Colors have been dubbed into Bangla, this is the first time in the history of Indian television that a show has been extended regionally.

“For the first fiction format to be launched on Sony Aath, I couldn’t have hoped for a better show than CID. It’s a show that all of us have watched and continue to watch. The philosophy of CID will be maintained, but the stories will all be local,” said Tushar Shah, who heads Sony Aath.

Eight episodes of CID Kolkata Bureau have already been canned by B.P. Singh and his team, who have been camping in the city for the last two months. “We have shot at Victoria Memorial, Esplanade and Lake Gardens. The uniqueness of CID lies in the fact that most of it is shot on real locations and that is also something that will happen with CID Kolkata Bureau,” said Singh.

For Shivaji Satam who was present at the launch and who has become synonymous with the character of Pradyuman, CID Kolkata Bureau represents yet another feather in the franchise’s cap. “It’s difficult to explain why the show has clicked so well with such a huge audience. I can only say that even god goes to bed late on Friday and Saturday nights when CID airs!” chuckled Satam.

CID Kolkata Bureau will have characters that are extensions of their Hindi counterparts, given that each resonates so well with the viewer. While ACP Birsingha (played by TV actor Kaushik Chakraborty) fills the rather large shoes of Pradyuman, Daya becomes Ronojoy, Tej owes his roots to Abhijit and Dr Arrow is the Bangla counterpart of Dr Salunkhe.

“We wanted to keep the characters same so that they are easily identified by the CID lover. However, the quirks and traits of the original series (read: Pradyuman’s hand-twists, Freddy’s PJs…) will not be forced on to these characters,” said B.P. Singh.

CID Kolkata Bureau goes on air from November 12 on Sony Aath and will air on Monday and Tuesday at 10pm