Raakh Review: The 1978 True Story Behind the Chilling Ending

The newly released series Raakh on Amazon Prime Video is a brutal, slow-burn crime procedural that functions as both a historical reckoning and a deeply unsettling psychological thriller. Directed by Prosit Roy (Paatal Lok), the eight-episode season uses a parallel timeline structure to trace a rookie sub-inspector's frantic cross-country manhunt following the sudden disappearance of two teenagers in late-1970s Delhi. What the slick promotional press kits hide, however, is that this is not a routine piece of fiction. Raakh is a thinly veiled, highly controversial dramatisation of the real-life 1978 Geeta and Sanjay Chopra kidnapping and murder case—a national horror involving the notorious criminals Ranga and Billa that permanently altered the psychological fabric of urban India.  

The Direct Answer: Is Raakh Worth Watching?

Our definitive verdict is that Raakh is absolutely worth watching for audiences who value uncompromising, atmospheric true-crime dramas like Delhi Crime or Kohrra, though its sluggish mid-season pacing might test casual viewers. The series excels because it refuses to reduce its historical tragedy to cheap shock value, focusing instead on the systemic failures of law enforcement and the generational debris of grief. Sub-Inspector Jayprakash Jatav, played with a brilliant, coiled frustration by Ali Fazal, anchors the present timeline as he fights rain-slicked roads, political interference, and primitive forensic tools to track down the killers. Meanwhile, the show splits its narrative in half to track the parallel journey of Babu (Akash Makhija) and Rajjo (Ramandeep Yadav), mapping out the precise, chilling anatomy of how two small-time delinquents escalated into the country's most feared predators.  

Raakh Ending Explained: History vs. Revisionist Justice

The final episode of the series has ignited heavy debate online because director Prosit Roy makes a radical, unexpected narrative choice. In the actual history of the 1978 case, the capture of Ranga and Billa led to a landmark trial and their subsequent execution in Tihar Jail, but it offered zero comfort to a nation traumatised by the sheer meaninglessness of the children's deaths. Raakh chooses to look at that historical void and actively fill it with dramatic closure. In the final hour, Jayprakash locates the killers after a grueling chase that extends from Sonipat to the underbelly of Mumbai. Rather than letting the narrative dissolve into endless court filings, the series delivers a bruising confrontation that forces the perpetrators to look at the wreckage they left behind. More importantly, the show shifts its focus away from the mechanics of the crime to spend its final minutes on the character of Lt. Col. Ashok Arora (Aamir Bashir) and his wife (Sonali Bendre), providing an alternate emotional baseline where the family finds a quiet, dignified way to survive the unlivable. It is a daring piece of revisionist television that values a family's emotional resolution over historical mimicry.  

Quick Facts: Raakh Season 1

Feature	Specification
Release Date	June 12, 2026
Platform	Amazon Prime Video
Director	Prosit Roy
Writers	Anusha Nandakumar, Sandeep Saket
Runtime	8 Episodes (Approx. 40 mins each)
Lead Cast	Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Aamir Bashir, Akash Makhija, Rakesh Bedi
International Availability	Streaming on Amazon Prime Video in India, the US, UK, and select global territories.

Why the Indian Lens Makes Raakh Different

Most Western true-crime shows treat the procedural as a puzzle where a smart detective puts pieces together under clean laboratory lights. Raakh understands that in 1978 Delhi, there were no pieces and there were no lights. The investigation moves at the agonizing, analogue speed of a young nation. Cops communicate via crackling trunk calls, evidence is washed away by monsoon rain because plastic tarps aren't available, and the caste dynamics of the police force quietly dictate who gets resourced and who gets sidelined. Ali Fazal's character is named Jayprakash Jatav—a deliberate writing choice that introduces a sharp Dalit identity into a premier capital investigation. His quiet reverence for Dr. B.R. Ambedkar acts as a visual and moral compass throughout his isolation on the force. Watching Fazal navigate both the elite, military household of the victims and the sub-human desperation of the killers gives Raakh a layer of class commentary that standard thrillers simply lack.  

FAQ:

Is Raakh based on a true story?

Yes, Raakh is loosely inspired by the infamous 1978 Ranga-Billa case from New Delhi. The series dramatises the real-life kidnapping and subsequent murder of teenage siblings Geeta and Sanjay Chopra, which triggered a massive nationwide manhunt and led to significant public outcry over urban safety.  

Who plays the killers in the Raakh series?

The two central antagonists, Babu and Rajjo, are played by breakout actors Akash Makhija and Ramandeep Yadav. Their terrifying, deeply unsettling performances trace the background and psychology of the real-world criminals who carried out the abductions.  

Does the Raakh series have a post-credits scene?

No, Raakh does not contain a post-credits scene at the end of episode 8. The narrative concludes entirely within the final sequence, focusing on the emotional aftermath of the investigation rather than setting up a cinematic universe style teaser.  

Where can I watch Raakh internationally?

The series is available exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. It can be streamed by domestic subscribers in India and is available globally to Prime members in countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.