After essaying role of Inspector Abhijeet on CID for 20 years, Aditya Srivastava hopes to explore different characters, beginning with Raat Akeli Hai
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 3, 2020)

Loyal fans of CID will tell you how ACP Pradyuman (Shivaji Satam), along with senior inspector Abhijeet and inspector Daya, could solve any mystery under the sun. After playing Pradyuman's trusted aide Abhijeet for two decades, Aditya Srivastava has made his digital debut with Raat Akeli Hai. "CID cut across generations," he says, amused that the crime show continues to serve as fodder for memes. "The memes prove that it still has a connect with the audience."

Srivastava plays a politician in his latest outing that also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte. "I consciously avoid playing a cop on the big screen. The role in CID made me a household name. But after playing a police officer for 20 years, now, I want to experiment with different characters," says Srivastava, who donned the khaki uniform in Satya (1998), Saathiya (2002) and Julie 2 (2017). CID producer BP Singh noticed him in Satya and offered him the role.

He is thrilled that digital entertainment has opened a plethora of opportunities for artistes. "The OTT platforms have [elevated] the quality of writing. I look forward to more opportunities as they offer creative satisfaction," says Srivastava.