B. P. Singh (Brijendra Pal Singh)

Brijendra Pal Singh, known to Indian television audiences as B. P. Singh, was a producer, director and occasional actor who spent more than five decades shaping the country's broadcast landscape. He was born in Dehradun and trained at the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune, the same institution he would later lead as chairman. He is best remembered as the creator and driving force behind C.I.D., the long running crime investigation series that became one of the longest continuously broadcast shows on Indian television, and for Aahat, a suspense and horror anthology that helped establish supernatural storytelling as a staple genre on Indian TV.

Beyond his work behind the camera, Singh also appeared on screen, most notably playing DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole, a senior investigating officer in C.I.D. The dual role of creator and performer made him a familiar face as well as a familiar name to generations of viewers who grew up with the show's distinctive brand of melodrama and procedural mystery. His other television credits included additional crime dramas and suspense programming that extended his influence over the genre well beyond C.I.D. itself.

Singh's standing in the industry was formally recognised in December 2018, when he was appointed chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India, succeeding the actor Anupam Kher. He served in that role until September 2020, a period that coincided with ongoing debates within the institute over leadership and curriculum, before handing over to filmmaker Shekhar Kapur. He was also known within the industry as a former president of the Indian Film and Television Directors' Association.

B. P. Singh died on the morning of 27 October 2026, at the age of 77, after suffering a massive heart attack. He was rushed to a hospital in the Santacruz area of Mumbai, where he passed away. Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit, a close friend and fellow former IFTDA office bearer, confirmed the death in a tribute posted on social media, describing Singh as a brilliant filmmaker whose crime and suspense shows had captivated the nation.

The news prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the Indian television and film industry, with colleagues and admirers recalling his role in building an entire genre of Hindi television drama almost from scratch. His last rites were expected to be held on 28 October 2026 in Mumbai. He is survived by his wife, Renu B. P. Singh.