Is Ajay Devgn's Crime Patrol Worth Watching?

While Divya Nair misses Anup Soni, who was the face of Crime Patrol for several years, Ajay Devgn has enticed her back into this true-crime series.

Is there a '90s kid who hasn't watched a single episode of Crime Patrol?

After some of us outgrew lame investigation dramas like CID, shows like Bhanwar, Crime Patrol and Savdhaan India offered a fresh take on true crimes happening in India that went beyond the newspaper article -- sensational, dramatic and rooted in fear and the darker side of human nature.

Be it the Dial 100 series or the 2012 Delhi gang rape episode, Crime Patrol introduced viewers to a unique style of true-crime storytelling that resonated with elders and youngsters alike.

At the end of every episode, when Anup Soni said, 'Savdhaan rahe, satark rahe' it felt less like a warning, and more like a friendly reminder to stay alert, always.

Besides, some of the actors, particularly those who played the role of police officers and criminals, were exceptional. Back in those days, there used to be a separate fan page on Orkut and Facebook where followers would identify the names of the actors and share details about their work.

Ajay Devgn's Big TV Debut

Earlier this week, Ajay Devgn joined a long list of stars who entered the world of television ruled/led by Amitabh Bachchan, and Salman Khan.

Devgn reportedly signed a Rs 90 crore (Rs 900 million) deal to host 15 episodes of Crime Patrol 2026: Crime Ka Current Season, streaming now on SonyLIV.

This makes the Singham actor one of the highest paid television hosts in India, topped by Salman Khan (who reportedly charges Rs 15 crore per episode of Bigg Boss).

A New Hosting Style

As someone who has loved watching Anup Soni present the crime show, the show has had its fair share of guest anchors, including Sakshi Tanwar, Rakesh Tailang, Ashutosh Rana, Sonali Kulkarni and Renuka Shahane for special episodes.

Some time in 2018, after its longest running anchor Anup Soni quit the series to focus on his acting career, I lost interest in the show. And with the rise of OTT that offered far richer and varied content across languages, I had given up watching Crime Patrol altogether.

Ajay Devgn's entry has piqued my interest again. His rough and intense narration adds just the right amount of seriousness and depth to the story he is narrating.

But does he really need to say 'A Big Hello to all of you' in the intro? Insensitive, much?

While I do miss Anup Soni, who was an exceptional host and the face of Crime Patrol for several years, Ajay Devgn does manage to entice you back into this drama based on true-crime with his unique style.

Evolving with the Times

The scripting hasn't changed much over the years. I am curious to know if the current batch of police officers still say stuff like 'khabri network activate kar do.'

But yes, the makers have tried to adapt to changing times with references to AI and digital evidence helping solve cold cases and nab criminals.

Each episode is divided into two parts with an engaging first half and slow paced second half. It would be interesting to see if the series invests in fresh ways to keep the audience hooked and break new grounds in the episodes to follow.

Photograph curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff