CID creator BP Singh dies at 77: Shivaji Satam and others pay tribute to former FTII chairman

Veteran television filmmaker and actor Brijendra Pal Singh, better known as BP Singh, passed away on October 27 (Tuesday) at the age of 77. Over his long career, Singh won over viewers with several iconic series he created and his most celebrated on-screen portrayal of DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole in CID. His death marks a huge loss for the television industry. Several TV stars stepped forward to pay their respects.

CID actor BP Singh dies at 77

On Tuesday, Singh took his last breath as he suffered a massive heart attack. The news of the actor-producer's demise was confirmed by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit on Instagram., Reports also stated that he had not been keeping well for some time and was dealing with age-related health issues.

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His work front

Singh had a long-standing career in Indian television. He studied film cinematography at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. He then began his career as a cameraman for Doordarshan in 1973.

Singh moved into production and filmmaking, creating shows across crime, suspense, and horror genres, including Ek Shunya Shunya, Aahat, and Zindagi Badal Sakta Hai Haadsa, followed by CID, where he also faced the camera and earned widespread acclaim for his role as DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole. He also worked on projects such as Khaaki, Abhay, SuperCops Vs Super Villains, Gutur Gu, and the Bollywood film Agent Vinod alongside Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor.

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He was also known for his technical expertise, particularly his work with the camera and single-shot storytelling. Singh later served as the chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from 2018 to 2020, returning to the institute where he had trained decades earlier.

Tributes from the industry

After news of Singh's death surfaced, several TV actors came forward to pay their respects.

Speaking to Variety India, Shivaji Satam, who played ACP Pradyuman in CID, expressed grief and mourned Singh's death. He said, "The biggest chapter of my life is over today. He was a great man, a great friend. I learned everything from him. I came from theatre. I knew how to act on stage. But B. P. Singh taught me how to deliver in front of the camera, how to be larger than life when required. He explained magnification so well. He was a wonderful teacher."

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Satam further continued, "In friendships, there are misunderstandings and fights, but it never went beyond that. He was there in all seasons of my life too. Our relationship cannot be narrowed down to one thing. He was an amazing, wonderful friend who taught me so much. A man like him deserves a Padma Shri. But he never bothered about that. He'd say, 'Leave it, what difference is that going to make? Our audience is there, right?' The audience is still there. It's a big achievement."

Ashoke Pandit, who announced the death of BP Singh, wrote in his social media post, "Sad to know about the demise of an ace producer-director, BP Singh ji, due to a massive heart attack early this morning. A brilliant filmmaker who captivated the nation with his crime shows CID and Aahat. His work remains, and will continue to be, an inspiration to generations to come. I was fortunate to be a very close associate of his when he was the president of the Indian Film & Television Directors' Association."

Speaking to HT City, Dayanand Shetty, who is known for his role as Daya in CID, said, “BP Singh ji had no other life than making content. He was dedicated to his work and was very passionate about it. He was also one of our best cameramen. He hadn't been well for quite some time, and this morning he didn't wake up. It was age-related; he was not well.”