Raakh director Prosit Roy on vintage vehicle chaos during 1970s shoot
Synopsis
The making of 'Raakh' had its own unscripted drama — a chase scene where the getaway bike broke down mid-shot, forcing Ali Fazal's character to catch the fugitives ahead of schedule. Director Prosit Roy's candid account of vintage-vehicle chaos on a 1970s-set thriller is a reminder that period authenticity comes with a very real mechanical price.
Key Takeaways
Director Prosit Roy revealed that sourcing and operating 1970s-era vehicles was one of the biggest challenges on the 'Raakh' set.
A dedicated team of mechanics was hired, but cars, scooters, and bikes still broke down repeatedly before and during shots.
Ali Fazal struggled with a vintage jeep due to its compact size relative to his height.
A scripted chase scene was upended when the getaway bike stalled, causing Ali Fazal's character to catch Babu and Rajjo prematurely — the opposite of what the script called for. 'Raakh' is inspired by the real-life Ranga-Billa case and is currently streaming on Prime Video .
Director Prosit Roy has opened up about the behind-the-scenes chaos that old, period-accurate vehicles caused during the production of the streaming thriller series 'Raakh', now available on Prime Video. Speaking during the show's promotional circuit alongside the cast, Roy revealed that sourcing and running vehicles from the late 1970s proved to be one of the shoot's biggest logistical headaches — and, unexpectedly, one of its funniest.
The Challenge of Period-Accurate Vehicles
'Raakh' is a fictional investigative thriller set in the late 1970s, inspired by the real-life Ranga-Billa case — a kidnapping and extortion of siblings that culminated in their brutal murder and triggered a nationwide manhunt. The show's production design leans heavily into the era, with costumes, sets, and crucially, vehicles all reflecting the period.
Roy said that tracking down working cars, scooters, and bikes from that decade was far harder than the team had anticipated. 'The cars were very, very difficult to find. We had a lot of hard time, we lost a lot of time actually because of the cars as they are very, very old,' he said. A dedicated team of mechanics was brought on set, but even their efforts could not guarantee reliability. 'They were not in running condition. So, every time before the shot, it used to stop,' Roy added.
Ali Fazal's Height vs. a 1970s Jeep
Actor Ali Fazal, who plays a lead role in the series, reportedly had a particularly difficult time behind the wheel of a vintage jeep. Roy noted that the compact dimensions of the era's vehicles were a poor fit for Fazal's frame. 'Some of them were so small — Ali had a lot of trouble because he was the one who was driving the cars,' the director said.
When the Script Went Out the Window
The most memorable incident involved a key chase sequence. Actor Aamir Bhashir struggled with a scooter that stalled the moment Roy called 'Action'. In a separate but equally disruptive moment, the bike carrying characters Babu and Rajjo — being pursued by Fazal's character — broke down mid-chase. 'Ali is chasing Babu and Rajjo, and these guys were running away on the bike, and it stopped, then Ali caught them, completely opposite to what was written in the script,' Roy recalled. 'So, a lot of comedies happened because of these vehicles,' he said.
About Raakh
'Raakh' stars Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Aamir Bhashir, Ramandeep Yadav, Anusha Nandkumar, and Sandeep Sanket. The series is currently streaming on Prime Video and has drawn positive early response from audiences. The production's commitment to period authenticity — breakdowns and all — appears to have paid off on screen, even if it tested the crew's patience behind it.
Point of View
But they also point to a structural challenge Indian streaming productions face when chasing period authenticity on tight schedules: the supply of working vintage vehicles is thin, and every breakdown is a budget and timeline hit. That 'Raakh' pulled off a convincing 1970s visual world despite mechanical chaos suggests strong post-production discipline — but it also raises the question of whether the industry needs dedicated period-prop infrastructure rather than improvised mechanics on call. As OTT platforms push Indian creators toward more ambitious historical and period content, this gap will only widen.
NationPress
21 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Raakh' about?
'Raakh' is a fictional investigative thriller set in the late 1970s, streaming on Prime Video. It is inspired by the real-life Ranga-Billa case involving the kidnapping, extortion, and murder of siblings that sparked a nationwide manhunt.
Why were vintage vehicles a problem on the 'Raakh' set?
The 1970s-era cars, scooters, and bikes used for period accuracy were in poor mechanical condition and frequently stalled before or during shots. Director Prosit Roy said the production lost significant time because of repeated breakdowns despite a team of on-set mechanics.
What happened during the chase scene involving Ali Fazal?
During a key chase sequence, the bike carrying characters Babu and Rajjo broke down mid-shot. Ali Fazal's character ended up catching them immediately — the exact opposite of what the script had planned — turning an intense action scene into an unintentional comedy moment.
Who stars in 'Raakh'?
The series stars Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Aamir Bhashir, Ramandeep Yadav, Anusha Nandkumar, and Sandeep Sanket, directed by Prosit Roy.
Where can viewers watch 'Raakh'?
'Raakh' is available to stream on Prime Video.
