Raakh trailer: Sonali Bendre, Ali Fazal in 1970s thriller inspired by Ranga-Billa case
Synopsis
Raakh is not just another crime procedural — it is a period thriller that uses the shadow of the real Ranga-Billa case to interrogate grief, guilt, and the emotional wreckage crime leaves behind. With Sonali Bendre and Ali Fazal leading a strong ensemble, and creators explicitly rejecting a 'whodunit' frame in favour of human consequence, this could be one of the more ambitious Indian streaming originals of the season.
Key Takeaways
The trailer for Raakh , a fictional thriller inspired by the Ranga-Billa kidnapping case , was released on 10 June .
The series is set in late 1970s India and stars Sonali Bendre , Ali Fazal , and Aamir Bashir in lead roles.
Creators Anusha Nandakumar and Sandeep Saket say the show focuses on emotional aftermath, not just the crime itself.
The series is directed and executive produced by Prosit Roy , with dialogues by Ayush Trivedi .
Raakh premieres on Prime Video on 12 June .
The official trailer for the upcoming Prime Video series Raakh dropped on Wednesday, 10 June, offering audiences a first look at a tense, fictional investigative thriller set against the backdrop of late 1970s India. The show draws heavy inspiration from the real-life Ranga-Billa kidnapping and extortion case, one of the most chilling criminal episodes in post-Independence India.
What the Trailer Reveals
The trailer opens on a jarring close-up of a pair of eyes, followed by a maniacal laugh that immediately establishes the series' unsettling register. Fast-paced, high-intensity visuals pull viewers into the world of Babu, played by Akash Makhija, and Rajjo, played by Ramandeep Yadav — two figures whose crimes send shockwaves across the nation and trigger a nationwide manhunt. The footage peels back layers of their troubled pasts, gesturing at the forces that shaped their 'twisted minds', according to the show's framing.
The Creative Vision Behind Raakh
Creators, writers, and co-directors Anusha Nandakumar and Sandeep Saket said they were deliberately steering away from a plot-driven procedural. 'At the end of the day, what stays with you from great crime stories is rarely just the crime or the investigation. You remember the deeply human emotions,' they said in a statement. 'With Raakh, we wanted audiences to explore emotional spaces they wouldn't expect from a crime thriller, because crime is not the only thing that happens in a crime story — it's also about everything else it leaves in its wake.'
The duo added that the central question driving the narrative was not merely 'Who did it?' but 'What does this do to the people left behind?' — an approach they described as building 'a holistic emotional landscape' encompassing grief, guilt, love, and anger.
Cast and Crew
The series stars Sonali Bendre, Ali Fazal, and Aamir Bashir in lead roles. Supporting cast includes Divya Sharma, Vivaan Sharma, Anshul Chauhan, Rakesh Bedi, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya in pivotal parts. Prosit Roy directs and executive produces the series, while dialogues are credited to Ayush Trivedi.
Release Date and Platform
Raakh is set to premiere on Prime Video on 12 June. The series arrives at a moment of renewed audience appetite for period crime dramas rooted in real Indian criminal history — a genre that has found consistent traction on streaming platforms. Whether Raakh can match the emotional depth its creators are promising will become clear at premiere.
Point of View
Yet it has rarely received the sustained dramatisation it warrants — making Raakh a meaningful intervention if it delivers on its emotional ambitions. The creators' stated refusal to centre the 'whodunit' is a genuine creative risk in a genre where plot mechanics typically dominate. What is less clear from the trailer is whether the period reconstruction is rigorous or merely aesthetic — 1970s India was a specific political and social world, and surface-level nostalgia would be a missed opportunity. The cast is credible, but the burden of proof lies in execution, not intent.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Raakh about?
Raakh is a fictional investigative crime thriller set in late 1970s India, inspired by the real-life Ranga-Billa kidnapping and extortion case. The series follows a crime that triggers a nationwide manhunt, while also exploring the emotional toll on everyone the crime touches.
When does Raakh release and where can I watch it?
Raakh premieres on Prime Video on 12 June. It is a streaming-exclusive series.
Who directed and created Raakh?
The series is directed and executive produced by Prosit Roy. It was created, written, and co-directed by Anusha Nandakumar and Sandeep Saket, with dialogues by Ayush Trivedi.
What is the Ranga-Billa case that inspired Raakh?
The Ranga-Billa case was a high-profile kidnapping and extortion case involving siblings in late 1970s India that shocked the nation and led to one of the most widely followed criminal trials of the era. Raakh draws fictional inspiration from that case without claiming to be a direct retelling.
