Cinema VinesIn a recent interview with Siddharth Kannan on his podcast, former CID actor Dayanand Shetty opened up about the reasons behind the show’s abrupt end in 2018 and the unexpected support he received from legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar. Shetty, who portrayed the iconic Senior Inspector Daya, explained that the decision to pull the series off air stemmed from internal politics at Sony Entertainment Television, rather than the show’s popularity or performance.
According to Shetty, the conflict began in 2016 when Sony requested that the actors sign contracts. The producers revealed that the cast had never signed any agreements, a fact that surprised the channel. When Sony later decided to change the producers in 2018, the actors protested the move, but the network proceeded regardless. Shetty recalled that the actors had been loyal to the original producers and felt blindsided when the channel chose to end the long‑running series. He added, “It was pulled off air due to internal politics. The problem started in 2016. The channel wanted to change the producers, which the actors didn’t agree to.”
Despite the show’s 21‑year run and massive fan base, the actors had not signed formal contracts, leaving them vulnerable to the network’s decisions. The episode’s cancellation surprised many, prompting a flood of comments from viewers on Sony’s social‑media pages in support of the revived series that premiered in 2024.
In a surprising turn of events, Shetty revealed that Lata Mangeshkar, a long‑time fan of the series, personally intervened on behalf of the cast. She reportedly called Sony America, expressing her outrage at the decision to cancel the show. Shetty quoted her as saying, “I watch this show, why are you pulling it off air? What is your problem?” and that she even “abused” the network’s executives in her attempt to reverse the decision.
While the network ultimately proceeded with the cancellation, the episode’s revival in 2024 brought back beloved characters such as Daya, ACP Pradyuman (Shivaji Satam), and Senior Inspector Abhijeet (Aditya Srivastava). The new season aims to re‑engage longtime fans and attract a new generation of viewers with the franchise’s signature investigative style and memorable dialogue.
