India’s Most Wanted showman
By Lovkesh Kumar

"AB to is awaam ka Bhagwaan hi malik hai". Guess, who speaks like this on Zee TV? Here’s one more clue — "Together we will, we will make a difference." Yes, he is none else, but Sohaib Ilyasi, director-producer, script writer and host of the popular programme India’s Most Wanted: India Fights Back.

Born and brought up in Delhi, this tall, personable artiste completed his postgraduation in mass communication by specialising in electronic media (TV) from Jamia Millia Islamia University. His parents, who belong to Nuhu village in Gurgaon district, migrated to Delhi in 1963.

After completing studies, Sohaib went to London for further education in mass communication. He involved himself in making different kinds of programmes. Features, dramas, programmes based on current affairs and news and serials, produced by him in London, geared him to later produce India’s Most Wanted. Face to Face and I D Youth were some of his popular programmes in London.

After the success of these two programmes, Sohaib made an attempt to make programmes on the lives of criminals, on the pattern of Crime-stoppers being shown in London.

An incident which occurred in 1993 at London Heathrow Airport turned his life and forced him to return to his motherland. Sohaib and his friend, Shakeel, were at the airport waiting for a flight in which the latter had to return to India. While they were waiting, a policeman came up to Sohaib, pulled him by the collar and asked, "Why don’t you move from this place." Both of them reacted sharply to this suggestion, particularly when they found that others were not being asked to do the same. The policeman did not like their reaction and remarked, "You stupid Indians, move from this place."

The incident shook Sohaib’s confidence and he decided to say "Goodbye" to the foreign land and promised himself that he would make programmes which would in no way be inferior to foreign programmes.

Sohaib says producing programmes is not an easy task but with India’s Most Wanted definitely a good beginning has been made. It is being appreciated and seen by a large number of people. It is rated a "highly wanted" programme by Zee TV. Today India’s Most Wanted also enjoys a high TRP rating.

Sohaib says when he came back to India, he contacted the police to collect information about criminals. He worked hard for two-and-a-half years to reach his mark. Most police officials, however, refused to help him. Only three DSPs helped him with details of criminals.

When he is asked for whom — politicians, policemen or criminals — is he the ‘most wanted’, Sohaib says he receives threatening calls from all of them but most of them came from politicians. In fact, due to a spurt in the number of threats received by the staff, it has been decided that no fresh episode of the programme will be shown. The programmes that have featured in the past will be repeated, informs Sohaib Illyasi

His dedication to his motherland made him conceive this informative programme, he adds.

He says since he is connected with the media, he consider himself to be a journalist. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is his ideal and he aims to uproot corruption and minimise crime in society.

He felt rewarded when criminals — Sushila Srivastava, Yashpal, Shriparkash Shukla (wanted for 26 abductions and murder) and Susheela Chedda (booked for forgery) — were caught by the police through his programme.

Satisfied with his work, he plans to extend his programme to the print media.