Before Adolescence, Indian TV classic CID had set a Guinness record with a 111-minute single-shot episode

Adolescence dominated Netflix as the most-watched series worldwide last weekend and the craze continues, leaving audiences in awe with its unique single-shot filming style. But did you know an Indian show achieved this cinematic feat years ago? If you grew up watching Sony TV, you have probably seen it countless times - yes, we are talking about CID! ACP Pradyuman, Daya, and Abhijeet did it first, even setting a Guinness World Record in the process!

Known for its 30-40-minute episodes with multiple scenes, in 20024, CID attempted something unprecedented: a 111-minute episode shot in one continuous take.

Titled Inheritance, the special episode was directed and filmed by showrunner B.P. Singh in October 2004 and aired on Sony TV on November 7.

The storyline followed a mysterious black-cloaked figure causing tension in a hotel, leading to a murder and an injured elder, Harsh Chandra, calling the CID team for help.

Guinness World Record recognition

Upon release, Inheritance was officially recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest continuous shot in a TV show.

The citation read:
"The longest continuous camera shot in a TV show was 111 minutes, lasting the entire episode of C.I.D (Fireworks Productions, India) filmed by director B.P Singh in Mumbai, India on 8 October 2004 and subsequently broadcast by the Sony Entertainment Television Network (India) on 7 November 2004."

How the single-shot episode was filmed

In a podcast last year, CID actors Aditya Srivastava (Abhijeet) and Dayanand Shetty (Daya) recalled the challenges of filming the episode.

CID Season 2 OTT release poster | Credit: IMDb

They shared how the cast and crew arrived in Lonavala on October 1 and spent five days rehearsing their lines and planning every scene.

On the sixth day, they did a full run-through, choreographing all camera movements to ensure a smooth shoot.

The biggest challenge was the camera itself - a 37kg body cam that had to be carried continuously for over two hours while moving with the actors.

Despite the pressure, the final shoot went off seamlessly.

Srivastava and Shetty shared, "All of us had a lot of responsibility on our shoulders. The mistake shouldn't happen because of us. If the error comes from me, then 100s of people would be affected. So we were all prim and proper."

This groundbreaking episode remains a milestone in Indian television history, proving that CID was ahead of its time in cinematic storytelling.

While CID's single-shot episode was an impressive technical achievement, let's be real - it's a far cry from Adolescence, which wowed audiences with its gripping storytelling, stunning cinematography, and powerhouse performances.

CID, on the other hand, was all about over-the-top action, and the legendary "Daya, darwaza tod do!" moments that we still meme about today.

But credit where it's due - long before single-shot filmmaking was used in Adolescence, CID took on the challenge with its signature dramatic flair. Was it groundbreaking? Yes. Was it seamless? Maybe not. But did we love every second of it? Absolutely!

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