CID

CID centers on an elite police squad that handles puzzling crimes across India. Led by the steady ACP Pradyuman, officers Abhijeet, Daya, Purvi and forensic expert Dr. Salunkhe piece together evidence, interview suspects and run lab tests to close cases. Most episodes focus on a single investigation, blending methodical evidence-gathering with tense confrontations and occasional surprises, while showing how the job strains personal lives. Cases range from homicides to high-stakes thefts. Some storylines return across multiple episodes, rewarding regular viewers and keeping character relationships familiar even as each episode resolves its central mystery.

Premiering in 1998, CID was created by Brijendra Pal Singh and featured Shivaji Satham, Dayanand Shetty, Aditya Srivastava and Narendra Gupta. It ran for many seasons on Sony Entertainment Television and is often cited as one of Indian TV’s earliest sustained investigative dramas.

Audience response has been consistent, with online user ratings around 5.9/10 based on a small sample of votes. Critics gave mixed reviews, but viewers stuck with the show for procedural clarity, the emphasis on teamwork under pressure, ethical questions around policing, and the way everyday cases connect to larger social problems.

CID became a cultural staple in India, inspiring fan communities, comedic parodies and frequent references across media. Its long run helped normalize the police procedural format on Indian television, familiarized audiences with basic forensic techniques and made the core investigative ensemble widely recognizable to viewers.

While CID was hugely popular with audiences, detailed listings of major national or international awards are not widely cited. The series did receive various industry acknowledgments over time and is often praised for its longevity and loyal fanbase, markers that broadcasters and viewers point to when discussing its impact.