Crime Patrol will air a special episode on the Delhi gangrape case this weekend. Its presenter Anup Soni appreciates the verdict but has an ambiguous opinion on the death sentence. He chatted with Karan Bhardwaj
Anup Soni, presenter of Sony’s Crime Patrol, has mixed opinion on the verdict of Delhi gangrape case. The incident held last year in the city will be presented on TV on September 21. “I have two opinions on that. I wouldn’t advocate death sentence completely but it depends on the crime that has been committed. What these men did was exceptionally brutal. The girl and her friend also sought their mercy but they had become devils. So, I am okay with this judgement. We need to prove a point. In our country, people think they can do anything and get away with it easily. So it was important to instill fear in the minds of criminals,” says Soni.
The episode was shot in January but was put on hold after initial protests. “We have always followed facts. We don’t twist the incidents and just want to raise a few questions. Even in this case, we have followed what has been told and recorded by the police. We have no intention to sensationalise the issue and get any viewership mileage. We are simply asking what lessons we have learnt, what precautions we need to take and what change we can implement,” he says.
The actor believes that justice should be delivered in all the cases and not just the ones highlighted by the media. “I have strong opinion on acid attacks. We shot an episode on Sonali Mukherjee whose face was destroyed with acid. Her culprits are roaming free today which is very sad,” he observes.
The 38-year-old has become a different person after doing the show. He says his point of view and the way of looking at others have changed. “I have become more sensitive towards people than what I used to be three years ago. We spend endlessly on our lifestyles but we start squabbling over petty issues with out service providers. People would dine out at an expensive restaurant but would never pay extra money to the maid. It is high time that we start understanding their perspectives,” he says adding that the difference between rich and poor is one of the factors behind converting men into devils.
“There is frustration in society. In Mumbai, they say outsiders come and do the crime. But one should realise that the man committing crime also has the responsibility of his children and family. They should be treated as human beings. They need to be given what they deserve. If you understand others, life will be easier,” he says.
Soni has been with Crime Patrol for a long time and doesn’t hesitate in adding his inputs. He reads the entire screenplay of the episode. “Sometimes I even add certain lines and my team is happy to incorporate my inputs. I don’t take part in the research process since there is a dedicated department for this,” he says.