BP Singh, the Man Behind CID and Aahat, Dies at 77: Remembering the Creator Who Raised a Generation on Suspense

Daya, darwaza tod do.

If you grew up in India between the late nineties and the 2010s, you can hear that line. You can probably also hear the music, picture ACP Pradyuman's hand gesture and remember arguing with your family over who the killer was before the final reveal.

The man who built that world, BP Singh, has died. He was 77.

What happened

BP Singh died on 27 October after a heart attack. The news was shared by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, who called him a great human being and a dear friend. His last rites were scheduled for 28 October.

Dayanand Shetty, our forever Daya, spoke about him with real warmth, saying Singh had been unwell for some time and describing him as someone who "had no other life, other than making content." He also called him one of the best cameramen the industry had.

That line stayed with me. It's the most honest tribute you can give a creator.

The man behind the camera

Before he was a showrunner, BP Singh was a cameraman. He trained at the Film and Television Institute of India, joined Doordarshan in 1973 as a news cameraman, and spent about a decade behind the lens before moving to Mumbai.

That background explains so much about CID. The tight framing, the tense zooms, the technical ambition. He thought visually first.

CID: two decades of "kuch toh gadbad hai"

CID began on Sony TV in 1998 and ran until 2018, two full decades. That makes it one of Indian television's longest-running shows. It later returned with a revival, proof that the audience never really left.

A few things that made it legendary:

• The record. In 2004, Singh shot an episode in a single continuous take of 111 minutes, which earned a place in both the Limca Book of Records and Guinness World Records.

• The cameo. Singh himself occasionally appeared as DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole, the stern senior officer.

• The meme afterlife. Long before "content" was a word, CID became the internet's favourite meme factory. Daya breaking doors, ACP's "kuch toh gadbad hai", Fredericks' comic timing. A whole generation of Indian internet humour runs on CID.
  

Aahat and beyond

Then there was Aahat, Sony's horror anthology, which began in 1995. If CID made you suspicious of everyone, Aahat made you scared of the dark. Kids watched it through their fingers, and then refused to go to the kitchen alone.

His wider body of work includes CID: Special Bureau, SuperCops Vs Super Villains, Abhay and the film Raat Hone Ko Hai. He also served as president of the Indian Film and Television Directors' Association and chaired FTII, the institute that trained him.

Why he mattered

BP Singh proved that Indian television audiences would show up week after week for mystery and suspense, not just family drama. He built a format, a team and a tone that lasted longer than most careers.

We've looked back at the TV of that era in pieces like the Karishma Kaa Karishma cast, then and now and Small Wonder's lasting appeal. CID belongs in that same cabinet of shared childhood memories, maybe right at the top.

Goodbye, Sir

Somewhere tonight, a family is watching an old CID rerun, guessing the killer wrong and laughing about it. That's legacy. Not awards, not records, but the way a show becomes part of how millions of people spend their evenings together.

Thank you, BP Singh. The case is closed, but the files will be opened for years to come.

Frequently asked questions

Who was BP Singh?

Brijendra Pal Singh, known as BP Singh, was a television producer-director best known for creating the crime series CID and the horror series Aahat.

How did BP Singh die?

He died at the age of 77 after a heart attack on 27 October 2026.

How long did CID run?

CID began airing on Sony TV in 1998 and ran for two decades until 2018, making it one of Indian television's longest-running shows. It later returned for a new season.

Did BP Singh act in CID?

Yes. He occasionally appeared on the show as DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole.