The world of television is set to welcome another major Bollywood star, with Ajay Devgn reportedly making his television debut as the host of Crime Patrol. India Today has exclusively learnt that the Singham actor will headline the upcoming season of the long-running crime show, which is scheduled to premiere on August 31.
The Sony TV series is returning with a new season centred on contemporary crime stories, with Devgn serving as both its face and narrator. According to a source close to the show, the actor has already filmed the promotional material, while the first promo is expected to be released soon.
“This season of Crime Patrol will bring fresh stories and examine how crime has evolved over the years. Since Ajay Devgn is widely associated with Singham, where he portrays a police officer battling criminals, the makers felt he was a natural fit for the show. The actor is also reportedly excited to be associated with a marquee property like Crime Patrol. The first promo will soon be released and will introduce the theme of the new season,” the source said.
Crime Patrol first premiered on Sony TV on May 9, 2003, and has since grown into one of Indian television’s longest-running crime franchises. The show features dramatised accounts of real-life criminal cases, focusing on the events leading up to crimes as well as the investigations that follow. Over the years, the franchise has undergone multiple format and title changes, including Crime Patrol Dastak, Crime Patrol Satark and Crime Patrol Dial 100, as the makers attempted to keep the format fresh.
Although Anup Soni remains the host most strongly associated with Crime Patrol, several other actors have also fronted the franchise over the years. The list includes Diwakar Pundir, Shakti Anand, Sakshi Tanwar, Sanjeev Tyagi, Divyanka Tripathi, Sonali Kulkarni and Ashutosh Rana, among others.
With Ajay Devgn now set to become the latest face and narrator of the franchise, Crime Patrol is entering another new phase. For Devgn, the show will mark his first major television hosting assignment and extend his long association with the cop genre from the big screen to television.
On the film front, Devgn is currently lined up for Drishyam 3, Chauhaan and the next instalment of the Golmaal franchise.
