Mumbai, Maharashtra: Ajay Devgn is stepping into a television role that feels familiar in one way and completely new in another. The actor, long associated with police and crime stories on the big screen, is set to appear as a special host on the new season of Crime Patrol, bringing his first major television hosting assignment to one of India’s longest-running crime franchises.
Titled Crime Patrol 2026 – Crime Ka Current Season, the new season will premiere on August 31 at 10:30 p.m. on Sony Entertainment Television and will also stream on Sony LIV.
The announcement initially led to reports that Devgn had replaced Anup Soni, whose voice and presence became closely identified with Crime Patrol over the years. But subsequent reporting has clarified that Devgn is expected to host only a selection of episodes as a special host. The makers are yet to announce the primary host for the remaining episodes.
That distinction matters because this is not simply a change of face for the programme. Crime Patrol has built its identity around stories inspired by real criminal cases, often showing how an ordinary situation can develop into something far more serious. The new season is expected to continue that approach while looking at how crime has changed in recent years.
For Devgn, the association also carries a certain familiarity. His film career has repeatedly brought him into stories involving crime, investigation and policing, from Gangajal and Drishyam to the Singham films. On Crime Patrol, however, there is no fictional police character to play. He will be speaking directly to viewers and introducing stories inspired by cases that have affected real people.
The first promo takes a cautionary approach rather than presenting crime simply as entertainment. Devgn speaks about the changing nature of crime and the fact that danger does not always come from a stranger. The actor has also described his involvement with the programme as a responsibility towards viewers.
That may be the more interesting part of his television debut. Crime Patrol has spent years occupying a space between crime reporting and television drama. Its stories are based on real cases, but they are presented through dramatization. Bringing a major film actor into that format could change the way the programme is received, particularly by viewers who already associate Devgn with crime and policing roles.
The challenge will be to keep that attention focused on the cases themselves.
Real crimes come with real victims and families, and the line between awareness and sensationalism can be thin when such stories are recreated for television. The new season will have to find that balance while keeping the programme relevant to an audience that now has an enormous choice of crime content across television and streaming platforms.
For now, Devgn’s arrival gives Crime Patrol a fresh point of interest without completely changing what the franchise has been known for.
The first episodes will show whether his measured screen presence works in a format where the story, rather than the star, is supposed to remain at the centre.
