The Shadow of Ranga-Billa: Why the New Series ‘Raakh’ Is Rattling Old Memories

Nearly five decades after the horrific kidnapping and murder of Geeta and Sanjay Chopra, the new Prime Video drama 'Raakh' brings the chilling Ranga-Billa case back into the national consciousness.

The evening of August 26, 1978, began for the Chopra siblings like any other. Sixteen-year-old Geeta and her 14-year-old brother, Sanjay, left their home in Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan to participate in a youth programme at All India Radio. They never arrived. What followed was a search that ended in the discovery of their bodies two days later—a tragedy that would not only leave the family of Captain Madan Mohan Chopra shattered but would fundamentally alter the psyche of a generation of Indians.

Now, Prime Video’s new series Raakh, directed by Prosit Roy, has stirred that long-dormant trauma. Starring Ali Fazal as a persistent investigator and Sonali Bendre as a grieving mother, the show reimagines the atmosphere of 1970s Delhi. While the series takes creative liberties and fictionalizes names, its narrative anchor is the infamous ranga billa case. The crime, committed by Kuljeet Singh (Ranga) and Jasbir Singh (Billa), became a benchmark for public fear, changing how families in the capital perceived safety for their children.

A Nation’s Innocence Lost

The case was more than just a brutal crime; it was a watershed moment for urban India. Reports from the time detail how the siblings were abducted in a stolen car, with witnesses later recounting the children’s desperate struggle against their captors. The sheer randomness of the violence—the fact that a simple lift accepted during a rainstorm could lead to such a cold-blooded end—rippled through the country. It forced parents to rethink the freedom they afforded their children, turning, for many, a sense of open-road safety into a relic of the past.

The reach of this fear extended even into the lives of public figures. Actor bobby deol has previously spoken about how the ranga-billa case dominated his own childhood. The terror the killers inspired was so pervasive that his family, like many others, restricted his movements, shielding him from a world that suddenly felt far more dangerous than it had just months prior.

Why it matters

The renewed interest in this crime through Raakh isn't merely for entertainment; it reflects our ongoing obsession with the darkest chapters of our history. By revisiting the chopra tragedy, the series taps into a collective memory of vulnerability. It serves as a stark reminder of how a single criminal event can reset the social contract in a city. While modern investigative techniques and surveillance have evolved, the primal fear of losing a child remains a constant, and the story of Geeta and Sanjay continues to serve as an emotional touchstone for parental anxiety in India.

Beyond the Headlines

For the viewers, the series functions as a mirror to a bygone era, yet the questions it raises about justice and moral decay remain current. The ranga-billa incident was one of the first major cases to dominate news cycles in such a visceral, nationwide way, solidifying the role of the media in shaping public outrage. As Raakh brings this case to a new generation, it ensures that while the faces and names might fade, the lessons learned from the sacrifice of the geeta and sanjay siblings remain etched in the national record.