In a candid conversation with The Pioneer, Saqib Saleem opens up about his gripping new series Crime Beat, where he plays a rookie crime journalist caught in a web of ambition, ethics and survival. He reflects on the challenges of portraying a character with such a dramatic transformation, the moral dilemmas journalists face and the price one pays for seeking the truth
Tejal Sinha
Saqib Saleem has always been known for his versatility, taking on a wide range of characters that challenge him as an actor. From sports dramas to intense thrillers, he has left a mark with each performance. Now, with Crime Beat, he steps into the shoes of a rookie crime journalist navigating a dangerous world of ambition, ethics, and survival. In an exclusive conversation with The Pioneer, Saleem delves into his role, the challenges of portraying the character’s transformation and his aspirations for the future.
For him, Crime Beat was a project that immediately stood out. “It feels very exciting,” he says, reflecting on the opportunity to work with a stellar ensemble cast and acclaimed filmmaker Sudhir Mishra. “As an actor, it was a great space to be in, collaborating with such talented people.”
The show follows the journey of a struggling crime journalist trying to find his place in a world full of professional and personal conflicts. The Dil Juunglee actor reveals that his connection with the story began with the source material. “It’s based on a book called The Price You Pay by Somnath Batabyal. I read the book and was completely drawn into it,” he explains. Once he met Sudhir Mishra and co-director Sanjeev Kaul, he knew this was a project he had to be part of. “Everything from day one just felt right. It wasn’t something I did because it was the best thing available—it was genuinely a great content piece that I didn’t want to let go of.”
Unlike traditional preparation, where actors immerse themselves in the real-world profession they are portraying, the Kakuda fame took a different route. “I watch so much journalism around me. As an actor, your job is to observe people, so I picked up from a lot of different sources rather than focusing on one particular journalist.”
However, for him, the role was not just about getting the nuances of journalism right—it was about understanding the person behind the profession. “Him (Abhishek Sinha) being a journalist is just his job. He could have been a doctor, a police officer, or a restaurant owner. What mattered to me was understanding his vulnerabilities, insecurities and ambitions,” he explains. While the script ensured that the journalistic language and terminologies were accurate, Saqib was more concerned with the emotional depth of his character. “For me, the preparation was about exploring who this guy is at his core rather than just getting the journalist aspect right—that was the easy bit, trust me.”
The biggest challenge, he admits, was portraying the character’s transformation. “He starts as a stringer, becomes a print journalist fighting for his byline and then eventually moves into TV journalism. The whole arc was tricky because you don’t often get to play such a big graph. As an actor, that was both exciting and nerve-wracking—I just hoped I could pull it off.”
The show also explores the moral dilemmas journalists face—truth versus ambition, ethics versus survival. When asked about how his character deals with these conflicts, the Mere Dad Ki Maruti actor keeps it simple: “He just tries to present the facts in the most honest way possible.” Playing a character caught in such ethical dilemmas naturally made Saleem reflect on his own life. “I’m human, right?” he says with a laugh. “These thoughts come up now and then—you see what’s happening in the world and wonder, ‘Should I become like this to achieve that?’” However, he credits his upbringing for keeping him grounded. “My parents always taught me to keep doing my work and keep moving forward. It might seem like there’s no end to this long road, but trust me, consistency and diligence get you where you want in the long run. That’s the principle I live by.”
The show also highlights the price journalists pay for their pursuit of truth. The Crackdown fame acknowledges that his character experiences significant losses—both professionally and personally. “That’s exactly why the book is titled The Price You Pay,” he points out. “To put out your version of the truth, what is the cost? He has to make sacrifices, and you’ll have to watch the show to see just how much he loses to get what he wants.”
With journalism evolving rapidly in the digital and social media age, Crime Beat is deeply relevant. Saleem confirms this: “That’s exactly what the show explores—how modern-day reporting works, the pressures journalists face and the ethical lines they sometimes have to cross.”
Despite the intensity of the role, he insists that it wasn’t emotionally draining. “It is called acting for a reason. You try to be as authentic as possible between ‘action’ and ‘cut,’ but this wasn’t the kind of character that I carried with me everywhere.” He adds that detachment is key: “When you’re playing a part, you have to not judge the character. You have to be the character. And when there’s no judgment, you don’t go through emotional dilemmas.”
One of the highlights of the project was reuniting with familiar faces and collaborating with new ones. “I got to work with Saba again after so long—we started our careers together, so that was special,” the Rangbaaz actor says. “I also worked with Addinath again after 83, and this was my third collaboration with Rajesh Tailang. And then, I got to work with Sai, Danish and Vikrant for the first time. It was amazing to be surrounded by such fantastic talent.” While he doesn’t single out any specific behind-the-scenes moments, he fondly recalls the camaraderie. “We shared meals, we shared jokes—it was just a fantastic experience all around.”
Having played a range of diverse roles, is there a specific genre he is eager to explore next? “I want to do an out-and-out romantic film,” he says without hesitation. “Not a rom-com, but a proper, intense romantic film. That’s something missing from my filmography and I’d love to find the right script for it.”
As for upcoming projects, Saleem remains tight-lipped. “Nothing right now,” he says. “I’m looking for exciting work. There are a few conversations happening, and when something materialises, you’ll know.”
As he continues to explore new horizons in his career, one thing is certain—whether it’s journalism, crime, or romance, he is always ready to dive deep into his characters and bring them to life with authenticity and passion.