Raakh Review: Ali Fazal Leads An Unsettling Hunt For Evil In The Year's Best Show

A Familiar Premise With Unfamiliar Depth

As mentioned earlier, this is the story of two teenagers, the brother sister duo of Suman and Sahil, who are kidnapped after giving a lift to two young men in Delhi. The catch here is that this is 1978.

Immediately, while watching the show, you might ask yourself who in their right mind would take a lift from strangers while it is raining cats and dogs outside. But again, this is 1978 that we are talking about. Times were simpler. There wasn't the same fear or suspicion attached to every interaction. There wasn't the assumption that things could go horribly wrong at any given moment.

The show subtly and beautifully hints at this through another track in the very same chain of events. Before their fatal encounter, the children are helped by another stranger, a kind-hearted Sikh gentleman who simply drops them at a bus stop and moves on. No ulterior motives. No hidden agenda. Just kindness. It helps you understand that taking a lift from a stranger during torrential rainfall might seem incredibly foolish today, but back then it wasn't necessarily viewed as dangerous.

Unfortunately, that trust leads them straight into the hands of two monsters.

Some People Just Want To Watch The World Burn

These two young men, Rajjo and Babu, are on a spree of madness. There is probably not a single redeeming quality to be found in either of them. They kidnap, kill and move on as though nothing has happened, only to continue wandering into other crimes and other acts of violence.

This is where Raakh taps into the Joker-like quality that these characters possess. Rajjo and Babu, played with tremendous menace by Ramandeep Yadav and Akash Makhija, embody a famous idea from Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight. Some people are not doing it for money. Some people are not doing it for revenge. Some people simply like to watch the world burn.

There is a deeply maniacal quality to both men. Initially, the show teases the possibility of some redeeming traits in Rajjo, but that illusion disappears almost instantly. Of course they have a history. Of course they have their own stories. But there is absolutely nothing in those stories that can justify or even explain away the brutality they unleash.

These are simply men who feel entitled. Men whose egos and desire for control outweigh everything else.

Ali Fazal's Restrained Yet Powerful Turn

The responsibility of solving this grotesque crime falls on SI Jayaprakash, played with remarkable restraint by Ali Fazal.

What makes the performance particularly impressive is the contrast it offers to Fazal's most famous role. Most audiences associate him with Guddu Pandit from Mirzapur, a character built on aggression and volatility. Here, he moves in the exact opposite direction. He embraces subtlety, patience and quiet determination.

He does a terrific job and manages to convey a man who is not only trying to solve a case but also trying to prove a point to the system around him. There is a quiet fire beneath the surface that never feels exaggerated.

His personal life also adds texture to the character. Jayaprakash is the son of a retired hawaldar who now runs amazing mutton and delivers it to the police station, played with warmth and wonderful nuance by the ever dependable Rakesh Bedi. The relationship between father and son is slightly troubled, yet it never feels dramatic for the sake of drama. It is more about circumstances and unspoken emotions than outright conflict.

Strong Actors, Limited Material

Another important layer comes through Jayaprakash's relationship with Nisar, played by Anshul Chauhan.

While that track is effective in parts, there is something about its execution that never fully lands. Nisar contributes significantly to the story and its emotional arcs, yet the relationship never develops the emotional weight that the series seems to want from it. You understand its importance but rarely feel it.

A similar issue exists with Sonali Bendre and Aamir Bashir.

Both are immensely talented actors and both receive substantial importance during the opening episodes because they are the parents of the missing children. Sonali, especially, gets some moving material as a mother trapped in denial, unable to accept the reality of what has happened to her children.

Aamir, too, gets moments to shine, particularly through a private investigator subplot that uncovers additional secrets. Yet despite their strong performances, both actors gradually fade into the background. You understand why the narrative chooses to focus elsewhere, but it still feels slightly underwhelming because both performers are capable of so much more.

Villains You Will Genuinely Despise

Ultimately, however, the show belongs to Akash Makhija and Ramandeep Yadav.

They are so thoroughly convincing as Rajjo and Babu that you almost want to reach through the screen and slap them. Not merely because of the crimes they commit, but because of the complete absence of remorse.

In fact, they often seem to derive a high from what they are doing. There is almost no humanity left within them. The only vaguely human aspect of their existence is their friendship with each other, and even that begins to fade as the series progresses.

Playing characters who are this hateful is incredibly difficult because it is easy to slip into caricature. Both actors avoid that trap entirely. They make these men horrifyingly believable.

Immersive Storytelling And Remarkable Craft

Raakh takes the seemingly mundane concept of a police procedural and transforms it into a wonderfully immersive slow burn thriller that explores a wide range of emotions.

The cinematography is exceptional. While this is not a traditional period drama, it is very much a story rooted in 1978. Not once do you feel removed from that world. Every frame feels authentic to the era.

The cat and mouse chase may frustrate some viewers. In today's world, where technology solves half the mystery, it might feel repetitive watching investigators repeatedly arrive just moments too late. But that frustration is precisely the point. These are people operating without modern technology, relying entirely on instinct, contacts, intelligence and persistence.

The show also does a fascinating job of depicting the emergence of forensic science. Initially ridiculed even by Jayaprakash himself, the forensic department gradually proves its value and becomes instrumental to the investigation. It is one of the many smaller details that enrich the storytelling.