‘Raakh’ actor Ramandeep Yadav opens up about playing Rajjo inspired by real-life Ranga Billa case: ‘I didn’t want to know what led him there’
Ramandeep Yadav says losing out on a role in Vikramaditya Motwane’s Black Warrant eventually led him to play Rajjo in Prime Video’s crime drama Raakh. The actor auditioned for the same part, inspired by Kuljeet Singh (aka Ranga), before landing the role in the new series.
Yadav now sees the earlier rejection as a turning point that brought him into the character he believes was meant for him.According to Mid-day, Yadav plays Raju in Raakh, a fictional character shaped by the real-life Ranga Billa case. The series follows a 1978 murder investigation in Delhi and stars Ali Fazal, Akash Makhija and Ramandeep Yadav. Prime Video lists the show as an eight-episode crime drama set in the aftermath of the disappearance and murder of two teenagers.
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Yadav said he does not view the missed opportunity as a setback after getting Raju. “Some projects don’t get done and you should be thankful for that,” he told Mid-Day.The actor added that he believes the role came to him at the right time. “Maybe I was meant to meet Raju. I am confident that everything that is destined for me will come to me,” he said.Yadav had previously auditioned for the character in Black Warrant, a 2025 prison drama, but did not get the role.
Later, he opposite Raju in the film ‘Raakh’, which is inspired by the 1978 Ranga Billa case involving the kidnapping and murder of siblings Geeta and Sanjay Chopra in Delhi.The show does not present Raju as a direct remake of Ranga. Instead, he uses the real case as a starting point for his fictional narrative.
The ‘Raakh’ actor plays the role of Raju
Yadav said that he did not do extensive research on Ranga’s past while preparing for Rajjo. He explained that he wanted to avoid searching for reasons that could mitigate personal crimes.“The moment you start looking too much, you start finding justifications,” Yadav said.He added: “I didn’t want to know what led him there because I wasn’t making a documentary about him.”‘Raakh’ is directed and produced by Prosit Roy. The series also stars Sonali Bendre, Aamir Basheer, and Akash Makhija. It is currently streaming on Prime Video.Yadav’s comments situate his role in Raakh within a larger personal journey, from missing out on one opportunity to finding the part he now connects with more deeply.