Actor Ramandeep Yadav, who plays serial killer Rajjo in the recently released streaming series 'Raakh', has revealed that unlike his on-screen partner in crime, his character does not begin as a violent force — instead, Rajjo's descent into brutality is a gradual, layered process rooted in survival and backstory.

Rajjo vs the Other Killer: Two Different Arcs

Yadav drew a clear distinction between Rajjo and the character played by Akash Makhija, noting that Makhija's role is defined by outright, unthinking aggression from the start. 'The character of Akash, I agree he is brutal, he is not thinking. As he said, 'It's my world, so if I don't get it, I'll take it',' Yadav explained. 'My character develops gradually.'

He was quick to clarify that portraying a character who appears to act without reason still demands careful, deliberate craft from an actor. 'As an audience, if you watch, you will feel that Akash and my characters are not thinking. But when you have to do that as an actor, we have to think. Even Rajjo thinks a lot,' he said.

Backstory: Haryana, Emergency, and Survival

Yadav traced Rajjo's transformation to a deeply specific historical and personal backdrop. The character hails from Haryana and, during the Emergency period, is forcibly sterilised — a trauma that fundamentally reshapes his relationship with society and with himself.

'Earlier, he thought, 'I didn't want to do anything'. But when it comes to survival, then it's just a human tendency that no matter how many people there are, we will look out for ourselves first,' Yadav said. He added that questions around how Rajjo navigated that society, why he left his village, and how he arrived in Bombay were the core threads he pursued through his performance.

About 'Raakh': The Show and Its Real-Life Inspiration

'Raakh' is a fictional investigative thriller set in the late 1970s, tracing a crime that triggers a nationwide manhunt and explores the collision between crime and justice. The series is heavily inspired by the Ranga-Billa case — a real-life kidnapping and extortion of siblings that ended in their brutal murder.

Actor Aamir Bashir essays the role of a war veteran and father of the murdered children. The ensemble cast also includes Ali Fazal, Sonali Bendre, Prosit Roy, Anusha Nandkumar, and Sandeep Saket.

Where to Watch

'Raakh' is currently available to stream on Prime Video. With its period setting, real-crime inspiration, and a cast that includes some of Indian cinema's most respected names, the series has drawn attention for its unflinching look at crime, justice, and the human cost of violence.