4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jun 12, 2026 10:37 AM IST
The horrific Ranga-Billa case, which shook India in 1978 and sparked nationwide outrage, is back in public conversation with the release of Raakh on Prime Video. Starring Ali Fazal and Sonali Bendre, the crime drama is inspired by the kidnapping and murder of Delhi siblings Geeta Chopra and Sanjay Chopra, a case that left an entire nation horrified.
Raakh releases today
Set in late-1970s Delhi, Raakh follows the aftermath of a brutal crime that devastates families and leaves a city gripped by fear. Ali Fazal stars as Sub-Inspector Jayprakash, while Sonali Bendre plays a school teacher and grieving mother affected by the tragedy.
The cast also includes Aamir Bashir as Lt Col Ashok Arora, alongside Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Akash Makhija, Rakesh Bedi, Ramandeep Yadav, Divya Sharma, Vivaan Sharma and Anshul Chauhan in key roles.
Directed and executive-produced by Prosit Roy, the series has been created, written and co-directed by Sandeep Saket and Anusha Nandakumar. It is produced by Endemol Shine India in association with BhaDiPa and premiered on Prime Video today.
While Raakh revisits a dark chapter in India’s criminal history, actor Bobby Deol had shared a deeply personal connection to the case during an appearance on Raj Shamani’s podcast last year. The actor revealed that the fear surrounding criminals Ranga and Billa had a direct impact on his childhood and led his family to become extremely protective of him.
ALSO READ: ‘Salman Khan brings kitchen van to set, it’s 7-star food, feeds everyone’: Choreographer
Bobby Deol recalled how the Ranga-Billa case changed his childhood
Speaking on the podcast, Bobby said that he grew up under strict restrictions and was rarely allowed to venture out on his own.
Story continues below this ad
“When I was in the sixth standard, a friend of mine got kidnapped. But he was the luckiest of all the people they kidnapped. There was a confusion between Billa and Ranga… He was with Ranga, and cops were zeroing in on them. He ran, and left my friend at a paan shop. The shopkeeper asked him where he lived, and brought him home.”
According to Bobby, the incident prompted the police to visit his father, veteran actor Dharmendra.
“They told my father that my friend was safe, but Billa and Ranga asked him who else was there in his school, and he took my name. After that, my father didn’t let me leave the house at all. I returned from school and that was it. I even learned cycling inside my house. In college, when my friends started having house parties, I wasn’t allowed to go. I had a 9 pm curfew. I would go to friends’ houses, help them set up for parties, and leave.”
Even after Ranga and Billa were executed, the restrictions remained
Bobby revealed that the fear never truly left his parents, even after Ranga and Billa were arrested, convicted and executed in 1982.
Story continues below this ad
“My friend who was kidnapped by them was partying while I was stuck at home.”
The crime that shocked India
The Ranga-Billa case remains one of India’s most infamous criminal cases. It involved the kidnapping and murder of siblings Geeta Chopra, 16, and Sanjay Chopra, 14, in Delhi in 1978. The case triggered widespread public outrage and intensified conversations around crime and public safety across the country.
The perpetrators, Kuljeet Singh, known as Ranga, and Jasbir Singh, known as Billa, were later convicted and executed in 1982.
Bobby Deol once recalled how the fear surrounding the infamous Ranga-Billa case led his family to keep him under strict supervision during his childhood. (Photo: Instagram/Bobby Deol)