Dayanand Shetty Breaks Down And Lashes Out At Sony For Ending CID Abruptly

After a 21-year glorious run, the crime drama CID is all set to go off air on October 27. We got in touch with Dayanand Shetty who played the character of Daya. And he told SpotboyE.com how upset he is with Sony's decision of pulling off the show so abruptly. Excerpts from the conversation that followed:

How shocking was it to hear that after 21 years your show has to go off like this?
It is very shocking and the most shocking part for us is the way we used to interact with our fans through the show, we will never get to do it again. Everyone right from the crew, artistes, creatives- everyone is so disturbed with the decision that it has to end in such a way. CID was like a big ship. If they wanted to bid us goodbye, they could have done it in a better way.

CID Poster

When and how did you come to know that it is ending?

It happened on October 12. Sony informed Optiimystix (production house) that they need not shoot the very next episode itself. Optimystix officials went to meet the channel- but to no avail. We still don’t know why they took this decision. Everyone is like 'aisa kaise ho sakta hai?'. We were shooting back to back and suddenly how can they decide this? Mujhe to aisa lag raha hai jaise mere hands aur legs par kisi ne brake laga diya hai (pauses).

Please continue... 
I don’t know what feelings Sony has for this show. The show is 21-years-old and I don’t think any staff working in Sony office has completed 21 years of service in that channel. It would have been emotional for those working from Day 1 if they existed, but the ones who are new must have taken to our show as a commodity. Surely, the person who has made a decision to wrap it up so abruptly has no attachment to it.

What is it that you will miss the most?
We were in our 21st year. Agar January tak chalta to we would have entered the 22nd year. I don't know what I will miss the most. Imagine, I have given my 21 years to this show. I am feeling lifeless. A big chunk of my life is gone. A big chunk of my emotions, relations and the hard work I put in- has all gone.

What was your age when you started?
I was 26-years old when I started shooting as Inspector Daya--- and now I am 48. 

 
Still Of CID

Its' being said that the show will return after 3 months in a new avatar. Has Sony made any commitment to you guys that you'll will be retained?
No such promise has been made. Hawa mein promise nahi hota na? There has to be something concrete. If Sony wanted to revamp, they should would have done it in the ongoing process, which wouldn't have been difficult. Or they should have done it  when they suddenly stopped telecast for 2 months from July to mid-September.

Why did they stop the telecast that time? 
Again without any notice, without any reason, without any provocation. And it wasn’t something strange for us that time- because since last 2 years they treated our show like this. Kabhi Monday ka kaat diya, kabhi Sunday ka cancel kiya, Friday ka telecast toh bandh hi kar diya. It was like subah uthe--- decide kiya aajka nahin chalate, yaa phir chalo aaj daal dete hain.

Are you saying that their attitude turned unprofessional towards  the show?
Totally, and only towards this show. Rest all shows used to get their telecast at their respective timings. It was to air at 10:30 pm but it used to air at 11, sometimes 11:30 and at times even 10:20! How would anybody know kitne baje aanewala hai, kab aanewala hai? 


Dayanand Shetty From CID

Except Kaun Banega Crorepati, they anyway don’t have any show which is as popular as CID? 
Exactly my point. And they didn’t realise that is channel ko khada karne mein is show ka kitna bada haath hai. How can you be so indifferent  to somebody who has nurtured you all this years? 

If they call you back after the revamp, will you be a part of it?
All CID people- cast and crew- have started looking for work outside.  So if they call us at that time, we might have some other commitment which we can't break free from. And CID will not be CID with one or two artistes. It’s a family which has to reunite with same feelings and emotions. In fact, some of the backbones of our show- our writers- have already started working on new assignments. So they will definitely not leave and join unless they are really free. With the abrupt closure- aap logo ne soul nikal diya, ab bas usko jalana baaki hai.


Image Source: yeviral, instagram/dayanandshettyofficial