Much to the excitement of its viewers, actor Sushant Singh is back to his podium hosting the new season of Savdhaan India: Criminal Decoded. Bringing a season with much more intensity this time, he gets candid with The Pioneer about making a comeback, challenges as a host of the crime show, and more.
Tejal Sinha
Just like the stellar actor that he is, Sushant Singh has been a commendable host as well. So much so that he has been associated with the crime show Savdhaan India for more than 8 years now. Making the much-awaited comeback, he is seen donning a much different salt-and-pepper look in the brand-new season of the show, which aired on Star Bharat from Tuesday (September 26).
Renowned for its gripping real-life crime stories, Savdhaan India has acted as an informative platform, shedding light on the dark world of crime and its consequences. All excited to be back he says it feels like a ‘home-coming’.
Looking at the positive outlook of the show, he begins, “Savdhaan India is a crime show telecasted in a general channel. But we sort of surpass that line of just being a part of an entertainment channel but an educative programme. Over the year, people appreciate the awareness that this programme has brought in consciously that it has become a part of their life. There are few programmes that have had that privilege. Every time that I go to any corner of India, wherever there’s Indian diaspora, they’ve all heard about this programme, they’ve seen this programme. I don’t even know what to call these phenomena. Any programme which creates awareness are all important.”
After several versions including India Fights Back, Darr Kar Nahi Datt Kar, and Special Crime Series, to name a few, the show is all set with the theme of ‘Criminal Decoded’, which has everyone talking already. “This season is going to be much more intense, now that we are coming back after sort of a head back,” shares the Ram Gopal Varma ki Aag actor. “We are upgrading everything, including aesthetic production values. The novelty of this season is that we are calling it criminal decoded. We’ve had many seasons of Savdhaan India which has always been about India Fights Back, the victim’s pov, the journey of how you could have prevented and fight back. It’s the first time that we are going to look into the criminal mind because that is also one major aspect of any crime. The person who is committing the crime, what and how does that person think? That is what we are going to see in this new season. Research-wise, we have spoken to psychologists, and criminologists. Maybe this might help people in recognising and understanding the criminal mind.”
With over seven seasons and a remarkable 3,162 episodes under its belt, the show brings some really nerve-wracking crime stories. And after continuously hosting crime stories for a long time, he shares there’s a danger of an individual mind becoming desensitised towards the intensity of the crime. Going ahead and sharing more insights on it, he gushes, “I have done more than a thousand episodes so there’s a chance of it. The viewers who are watching it, that’s not the case with them or the victim who has experienced it. Every person who is or has faced that, it’s their first encounter. I have to make sure that I don’t lose that empathy. Secondly, the way society sees crime, may not always be right. For example; it’s a very common thing to say when we talk about a rape, Izzat lutt gayi, uske aatmasaman ke saath khilwad hua. Those are very very miss murmurs, shifting the grave. What I’ve been trying to say through Savdhaan India since a long time and still consciously do is if anybody is losing their respect in such a scenario, even the criminal, it cannot be the way it is. They stay away from such phrases. When we say Ek Tarfa Pyaar. Ek Tarfa pyaar kuch nahi hota, when somebody commits a crime of obsession, you cannot call it a Ek Tarfa Pyaar or Manchala. Those are again Miss Murmurs. You cannot just make anyone else suffer. I very consciously avoid such phrases and even if they are there, remove them and present crime as a crime and not as a stigma towards the victim.”
The show has gained widespread recognition, becoming a household name, even within the ranks of the police force.
Recently, the law enforcement community has acknowledged Sushant’s significant contributions and holds him in high regard, viewing his dedicated efforts as a testament to his unwavering commitment to enhancing the safety of our society. To them, Sushant has earned an honorary position among their courageous ranks, serving as a symbol of unity in the ongoing fight against crime and disorder. The Rana Naidu was extremely grateful and to him, it was no less than a ‘positive acknowledgment.’
The new season not only brings a new theme but as we already mentioned, a new look of him. This distinguished look exudes a certain maturity and sophistication that perfectly complements the show’s serious and thought-provoking themes. Commenting on his new look, he shares, “I’m trying to keep it natural since I’m also shooting for some other projects. So, when the new season was offered, we tried to work around it and my attempt has been to look the way I am, age with dignity and hopefully that would bring more gravity to the programme. It definitely feels good that people have now known me for the show. It makes me feel that I’ve made a positive impact on the show and the show has of course made an immense contribution to my life, besides the popularity, love, and fame. It feels good to become the identity of a show and show becomes your identity. I feel like it’s a feather in my cap.”
The Baby actor gracefully juggles between the role of an actor and an anchor at the same time. However, one cannot forget the fact that both require entirely different skill sets. So, what’s something he looks for when taking up a project? Let’s hear what he’s got to tell us: “My first question when the makers approached me was back in 2012, ‘If you’re looking for an anchor who presents it in a very situational way,’ which is usually the case. But the makers were very clear that ‘NO’ we want empathy and we want to convey a good message so that what attracted me to Savdhaan India. However, for other projects, apart from the message, first and foremost is the story because at the end of the day be it a film or an OTT project, the main thing is the story. If the story excites me as a listener, then I’m attracted towards it, and then comes the role that should attract me. If I’m excited then my work would excite the audience.”
Ending the conversation on a brighter note, he reveals coming up with a web series in the first week of October, and the second season of Rana Naidu by the end of the year, or January.
