Sep 20, 2018

Inside stories of Crime Patrol episodes

Prof. R Jayraman

When you are tired of the corporate world, when you are tired of watching Arnab, Rahul and others of their ilk shout out the bad things happening in the country, you can relax and watch Crime Patrol. It is a series written and directed by one Mr Subramaniam Iyer, who goes by the moniker Subbu. It has been on air for more than 10 years and has developed a regular, faithful clientele. This client list includes me and Dr Tulsi Jayakumar, at least.

Crime Patrol kicked off covering a crime that happened in Mumbai. In terms of branding, the series has evolved, with sub Brands – CP, CP Dastak, CP Satark, CP Dial 100, and, now, CP Dastak. Of these, the best episodes are undoubtedly with Satark. This brand is distinguished by the acting of two inspector characters – Sanjeev Tyagi and Nissar Khan, who have a huge fan following. I am one of them.

The way this series has been developed as a commercial, TRP grabbing serial is worthy of study. Though, of late, it appears to have fallen on bad days, what with the chief anchor, Anup (aka, Anoop, Anupp, other variants), who used to act in a major TV serial Balika Badhu in the days of yore, suddenly rediscovering his interest in acting rather than anchoring. He was one of the best anchors that TV has seen. The Satark Brand is well produced (very high production values), well acted, with superb dialogues (including for the anchor), with authentic outdoor settings, totally apt to follow the twists and turns of the crime stories that are described.

However, the purpose of this blog is not to highlight the serious aspects of this wonderful serial. It is to draw attention to the other Brand building exercises that have been concurrently run, such as, Inside Stories (only written), Inside Stories (video format – which is produced by many independent producers, and, recently one of them has even made his video blog site ‘pay per view’), etc. There are many imitations, like, Crime Petrol, Crime Alert, Crime Stories, etc, which forced SONY TV to start a new internet channel called SONY, into which are uploaded the current episodes.

Out of all these, I want to focus on the written Inside Stories, of Crime Patrol Satark, which tickle the funny bone. The English language has been used in a unique, desi way.

When I logged into the page for Episode 334 Gayab (The Vanishing), I read this gem: “Parwati Ben is a high profile angadia firm owner who is taking care of her husband’s business after he passed away. Parwati ben is very strict for everyone around her. Her way to behave with her 31 year old son Bhavin and his wife Surabhi (played by Priyanka Panchal) is disgusting. Surabhi and Bhavin both are frustrated of her bad behaviour of prompting on every big and small thing.”

And then, episode 607, January 2016 :

“Belgaum, Karnataka
Anuradha, daughter of Devendra Shankar and she is very rude by nature and a anti social person. She never wants anyone will interfere in her any personal matter. She is forcing her father to transfer their property of rupee 500 crore on her name which was left by her grand-mother and then by her mother”

As if this was not enough, here is another one:

“The episode focuses on near 15-16 years old similar type of case. Victim Rachna Gupta, 17 (played by Raquel Rabello), daughter of bokar steel plant officer Rameshwar Gupta (played by Chandresh Singh) is elder along two daughter. She is a student of intermediate and preparing for engineering. Eve teasers (near 7-8 boys) daily harassing her when she passes from the road between her school and home. Guys sends a misguiding letter to her home which was received by his father. Asking her daughter, Rachna explains that this is done by those guys who daily tantrums her and passes ugly comment on her. Father Rameshwar shouts at those boys and then goes area police station to file a complaint. Police official tell him that they will give those guys warning to stop all this.

Police constables goes to that area and warns all guys to stop all these activities otherwise police will put them behind the bar. Flame of Vengeance is burning in those guys and they plans to teach Rachna a lesson.”

I have great fun with the language, although the situations are nothing funny.

“Zunaid Ajiz is a wealthy man who has many restaurants in Lucknow and also in Dubai. One of his resturent in lucknow is babysitted by his brother-in-law. His elder son Ashfaq also helps him in his business.” ( Episode 467, Feb 2015)

Never heard of anyone babysitting a restaurant. Another one,

“Karan is 18 years old and studying in college. One morning she is ready to go to college and then gives her mother the money of her pocket money. She looks quite upset. His mother asks him why he is giving these rupees to him but he returns home by giving it. His mother can not understand why he is so upset. He comes out of the house and then does not come back. Later, her sister and mother also mix her phone but her phone is constantly switch off”.( Episode 512, May 2015)

Interesting stuff, building the Brand in a unique, desi way.

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