Cinema VinesSony Entertainment Television surprised viewers this week by announcing that Bollywood veteran Ajay Devgn will take over as host of its long‑running true‑crime series Crime Patrol. The move comes as part of the channel’s new season rollout, with the first promo featuring Devgn giving audiences a glimpse of his role and the show’s upcoming premiere on August 31.
The series, which debuted in 2003, has seen a number of hosts over the years. After initial hosts Diwakar Pundir and Shakti Anand, the show was revived in 2010 with Anup Soni and Sakshi Tanwar. Soni went on to host solo from 2011 until 2018, before the role passed to Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya, Sonali Kulkarni, Ashutosh Rana, and Sanjeev Tyagi.
When the news of Devgn’s appointment broke, veteran host Anup Soni reflected on the lasting imprint the show has left on his career. “Until something bigger than Crime Patrol comes along in my career, no matter how much other work I do, people will continue to remember me for Crime Patrol,” he told ANI. He added that before the show, audiences recognised him for his role in Balika Vadhu, but the crime series eclipsed that memory.
Drawing on advice from actor Anil Kapoor, Soni said that certain roles become defining moments in an actor’s journey. “Since these things are popular, as an actor, instead of running away from them, you should accept them,” he explained, underscoring how Crime Patrol has shaped his public persona.
In the promo for the new season, Devgn discusses the country’s crime landscape and notes that the perpetrator is often someone known to the victim. He concludes with the reassuring line, “Main rahunga aapke saath,” signalling his commitment to the show’s audience.
