The release of Prime Video’s true-crime drama Raakh has once again drawn attention to the unsettling 1978 Ranga-Billa case, one of the most shocking criminal incidents to have shaken the country. Inspired by the real-life tragedy, the series stars Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Aamir Bashir, and Rakesh Bedi in key roles. But beyond its on-screen retelling, the story carries a deeply personal resonance for Bobby Deol. In 2025, the actor revealed a disturbing connection to the case, sharing that one of his close childhood school friends had been kidnapped by the infamous duo.
Bobby Deol’s personal connection to the Ranga-Billa case
During an appearance on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Bobby Deol recalled a chilling childhood incident from when he was in sixth grade. He shared that the infamous criminal duo Ranga and Billa, whose crimes had terrorised the country in the late 1970s, had once kidnapped one of his close school friends. In a strange twist of fate, his friend managed to escape alive due to a confusion.
As Bobby recalled, “He was the luckiest of all the people they kidnapped. There was a 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.”
While being questioned by his kidnappers, Bobby’s friend was forced to list the names of other children from his school, and he happened to mention Bobby. To ensure his safety, Dharmendra placed Bobby under an immediate, strict curfew. “After that, my father didn’t let me leave the house at all,” Bobby explained. “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.”
The crime that shocked an entire nation
On August 26, 1978, siblings Geeta Chopra (16) and Sanjay Chopra (14) left their Delhi home to attend a programme at All India Radio, but were abducted by Kuljeet Singh alias Ranga and Jasbir Singh alias Billa, who forced them into a stolen Fiat car.
Witness accounts later described the children’s brave resistance, with Geeta trying to draw attention and Sanjay, despite being injured, attempting to seek help. Their efforts tragically failed. Both were brutally assaulted and murdered, and their bodies were found near Delhi Ridge two days later, triggering nationwide outrage.
A swift investigation led to the arrest of Ranga and Billa in September 1978. After a lengthy trial, both were convicted and sentenced to death, and were executed in 1982, closing one of India’s most infamous criminal cases.
How Raakh revisits a dark chapter
Nearly five decades after the Ranga-Billa case shook the nation, Prime Video’s latest crime drama Raakh revisits the story. Set in late-1970s Delhi, the series focuses on Sub-Inspector Jayprakash (Ali Fazal), a police officer tasked with investigating a case that grows darker with every lead. As the search intensifies, the series delves into the emotional toll on families, the pressures of the investigation and the atmosphere of fear gripping the city.
Joining Ali Fazal is Sonali Bendre as Mona Arora, a woman navigating immense personal turmoil, and Aamir Bashir as Lt. Col. Ashok Arora, a disciplined military officer forced to confront unimaginable loss. The ensemble cast also includes Rakesh Bedi, Akash Makhija, Ramandeep Yadav, Divya Sharma, Vivaan Sharma, Anshul Chauhan and Dibyendu Bhattacharya.
Raakh is directed and executive produced by Prosit Roy, while Anusha Nandakumar and Sandeep Saket serve as creators, writers and co-directors. The dialogues have been penned by Ayush Trivedi, with the series produced by Endemol Shine India in association with BhaDiPa.