Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; July 5, 2019)

His decision to quit Crime Patrol, a show he hosted for eight years and had become synonymous with, in April 2018, came as a shock to many. A year later, however, Annup Sonii is all set to return to host the show.

He tells BT, “I took a break from the show as the actor in me was restless. I consider myself as an artiste first and performing for me is paramount. Somehow that wasn’t happening, as I was busy hosting Crime Patrol. In this year-long break, I did films and got to play different characters, which helped me satisfy my hunger as an actor. I had no inclination to return to the show and had moved on, but the makers have been understanding enough to accommodate my requirements. I don’t want to put acting on hold and I am glad that they understood my predicament. The show undoubtedly has given me a lot of appreciation, but becoming synonymous with it also came with its own restrictions. Also, I couldn’t experiment with different roles because of my image of a righteous man on the show. As an actor, I should be free to explore shades, which I got to do in this one year.”