Ali Fazal’s new show Raakh, which is inspired by the infamous 1978 Ranga-Billa case, is an uncomfortable but necessary watch. Recently, filmmaker Karan Johar shared his review of the show and called it a deeply disturbing yet brilliant watch.
‘Deeply disturbed’
The filmmaker shared that though he had stepped away from Instagram and was taking a break from social media, he felt compelled to share his thoughts on the show. He wrote, “I was trying to take time off from the gram I thought I was successful till I saw this gut-wrenching series and felt the need to express myself.”
Karan, who is a single father to his twins, Yash and Roohi, shared how the show, which is based on the real-life kidnapping and murder of Delhi siblings Geeta and Sanjay Chopra, affected him deeply. The crime had shocked the nation and changed the way many parents thought about child safety.
Sharing his thoughts and explaining how it affected him as a parent, Karan wrote, “It’s 1.35 am and I am deeply disturbed after watching the last episode… Disturbed as a parent, as a human being , and as a member of society… The ugliest side of humanity is what RAAKH explores…. No justification or childhood trauma is reason enough to succumb to an inner devil… “
‘Not sure I will recover soon’
He added, “I am not sure I will recover soon from this trauma binge…. But what I need to applaud is Prosit Roys incredible story telling, strong hold and non manipulative approach of emotional depiction and a special chefs kiss to his undeniable craft..”
Lauding Sonali Bendre and Aamir Bashir’s performances, he wrote, “BUT what I can’t get out of my head are the career defining performances of @iamsonalibendre and @bashiraamir … Their portrayal of the pathos pained parents in the face of unsurmountable tragedy left me awestruck… they became the characters and i salute their depiction … you need to observe their performances to experience what i have felt through this heart aching watch… they are OUTSTANDING! BRAVO!!!”
He ended his note by congratulating the rest of the cast and crew. He wrote, “Kudos to @alifazal9 for his exceptional and solid work…. Special mention to @akashmakhija94 @_ramandeep_yadav for their brilliant portrayals…And mighty kudos to @primevideoin .. Gaurav ,Nikhil, and Sahira for bringing this immersive show to us….. devastating and brilliant in equal measure… #RAAKH.”
About Raakh
The show explores the aftermath of the brutal kidnapping and murder of two teenagers and how the tragedy devastated their family while leaving an entire city gripped by fear. Raakh is directed by Prosit Roy, Anusha Nandakumar, and Sandeep Saket. The series is currently streaming on Prime Video.