Raakh was recently released on Prime Video and has brought the attention back to the haunting case of 1978. For the unversed, the series reflects on one of India’s most disturbing criminal cases, bringing it back into the limelight. Starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, the true-crime drama is inspired by the horrifying Ranga and Billa case. An incident that left the entire country shaken back in the day. However, did you know the case also has a dark link to Bobby Deol?
What happened in 1978?
The 1978 case: State vs Ranga and Billa is one of the darkest chapters in Indian history. The two criminals, named Kuljeet Singh aka Ranga and Jasbir Singh aka Billa, kidnapped and murdered two children, leaving everyone in a state of shock. For the unversed, they kidnapped two Delhi siblings, Geeta Chopra and Sanjay Chopra and later brutally murdered them. The case not only horrified the nation but also changed how many Indian families thought about the safety of their children. Which is why the case remains one of the most remembered crimes in India’s history and continues to be revisited through books, documentaries, and now streaming content such as Raakh.
How is Raakh connected to the actor, Bobby Deol?
The Ranga and Billa case didn’t just impact the families of Geeta and Sanjay Chopra, but also changed the ideology of several Indian families as well. It wasn’t long ago when actor, Bobby Deol talked about how the case impacted him and his childhood. For the unversed, the actor had appeared on Raj Shamani’s podcast, where he discussed how the fear of criminals, Ranga and Billa, had a direct effect on his childhood. The Animal actor recalled that one of his school friends had reportedly been kidnapped by the criminal duo.
However, while he was fortunate enough to have escaped, the details of what happened afterwards left his family deeply concerned. During the conversation, Bobby Deol recalled how his friend escaped the criminals and said:
“He was the luckiest of all the people they kidnapped. There was confusion between Billa and Ranga… My friend was with Ranga, and the cops were zeroing in on them. Ranga ran and left my friend at a paan shop. The shopkeeper asked him where he lived and brought him home.”
However, how did that make things difficult for Bobby Deol? According to him, the friend mentioned Bobby’s name while interacting with the kidnappers. A revelation that deeply worried his father, the late actor, Dharmendra, making him extremely protective of his son. The actor shared that he was rarely allowed to go out alone and faced several strict restrictions while growing up. He even learned to ride a bicycle inside his home because his parents were concerned about his safety. Nonetheless, the rules didn’t end with his school years and continued well into his college years. The actor revealed that while his friends attended parties and social gatherings, he often had to leave early because of a strict curfew set by his family.
What is Raakh about?
Set in late-1970s Delhi, Raakh follows the aftermath of a brutal crime that left a family shattered and the entire country shocked. In the series, fans will see Ali Fazal as ‘Sub-Inspector Jayprakash’, while Sonali Bendre portrays a school teacher and grieving mother struggling to cope with tragedy, the murder of her two children. The series is directed and executive-produced by Prosit Roy and created by Sandeep Saket and Anusha Nandakumar, and premiered on Prime Video on June 12, 2026. While the makers have clarified that the show is a dramatised retelling, its inspiration comes from a real-life incident that left everyone in chills.
What are your thoughts on Bobby Deol’s dark link with the case of Raakh?
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