BP Singh, Creator of CID and Aahat, Dies at 77

Brijendra Pal Singh, the producer and director who created CID, India's longest running crime series, and the horror anthology Aahat, died in Mumbai on Tuesday morning, October 27, 2026. He was 77. Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit announced the death in a social media post and said Singh had suffered a massive heart attack early that morning. The Hollywood Reporter India reported that actor Amit Behl, who worked with Singh on both series, also confirmed the death and said Singh had been dealing with multiple health complications for several years.

Pandit wrote: "Sad to know about the demise of an ace Producer Director B.P.Singh ji due to massive heart attack today early morning. A brilliant filmmaker who captivated the nation with his crime shows C.I.D and AAhat." He added: "His work is still & will continue to be a an inspiration to generations to come. Was fortunate to be a very close associate of him when he was the President of @iftda. A great human being & a dear friend. Will always be remembered with his contribution in the entertainment world. Heartfelt condolences to the family & near ones."

Behl said: "My bond with him spans nearly 30 years through landmark shows like Aahat and CID. B.P. Singh Ji was technically brilliant and immensely knowledgeable. Although he appeared stern on the outside and people often felt intimidated by him, he was deeply compassionate, helpful, and a father figure to me."

From a Doordarshan camera to two landmark series

Singh was born in Dehradun on April 27, 1949. He graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, where he trained in cinematography, and began his career in 1973 as a news cameraman with Doordarshan. He made his first television film, Sirf Char Din, and went on to produce the Doordarshan detective series Ek Shunya Shunya in 1988.

Aahat premiered in 1995 and ran until 2015. It began as a suspense thriller, and after about 40 episodes a supernatural episode drew much higher ratings, so the series switched to horror stories. In 1998 Singh launched CID, following a team of Mumbai detectives, and it became India's longest running crime thriller serial. On October 8, 2004, a special CID episode, "The Inheritance," was filmed in a single continuous shot lasting 111 minutes, which earned places in the Limca Book of Records and the Guinness World Records for the longest continual shot in a television show. The series started the CID Gallantry Awards in 2010 and returned in 2024.

The chairman in front of the camera

Viewers also knew Singh on screen. He played DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole in occasional appearances on CID. His other productions included Khaaki, SuperCops vs Super Villains, Abhay and Gutur Gu, which is recognised as India's first silent comedy series. He served as chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India from December 13, 2018, to September 29, 2020, succeeding Anupam Kher. He was married to Renu B. P. Singh.

Dayanand Shetty, who played Daya on CID, told HT City: "BP Singh ji had no other life, other than making content. He was dedicated to his work, was very passionate about it. He was also one of the best cameramen we had. He had not been well for quite some time, and today morning he just did not wake up. It was age-related, he was not well." Pandit said Singh's last rites would take place on Wednesday, October 28.