Ikkis Review: Sriram Raghavan fails to justify the glory of India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee Arun Khetarpal
Ikkis Movie Rating: 2.5 Stars
Watched Ikkis movie in Cinema. Let’s focus on the complete details, story, positive/negatives and at last my view on this movie.
Cast: Dharmendra, Agastya Nanda, Jaideep Ahlawat, Simar Bhatia, Rahul Dev, Sikander Kher, Vivaan Shah and Deepak Dobriyal
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Release Date: 1st January 2026 in cinemas
Story: Set in two different years, one in 1971, as India goes to war with Pakistan, and the other in 2001, two years after the Kargil war, the film beautifully connects the characters and two plots into one single story.
In 1971, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal (Agastya Nanda) gets the news that his course at NDA is being cut short as India is at war with Pakistan. Arun, as part of the Poona Horse regiment, was first trained to man the tank and then was later part of the troop that fought at the Battle of Basantar.
30 years after the 1971 war, his father, retired Brigadier ML Khetarpal (Dharmendra) visits Pakistan for his college reunion in Lahore and is hosted by one Brigadier Nisaar (Jaideep Ahlawat) at his home during his stay. He was part of the Pakistan army during the 1971 war and was linked to Arun, a fact that ML Khetarpal is not aware of initially.
Over three days in Lahore, the film quietly explores grief, guilt, and unanswered questions, while also showing Arun’s brave tank battle on the battlefield. It stays away from loud nationalism and chooses a more human approach.
Positives
1. Performances
2. Story
3. Climax
4. Music
Negatives
1. Length
2. Cinematography
3. Direction
4. Uneven Screenplay
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer of this film planned to watch this movie in cinemas on release date as loved the trailer and it’s based on real story of India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee, Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. Amidst the 1971 Indo-Pak war, young soldier Arun Khetrapal faces history’s crucible as tanks roll and tensions soar, his velour shaping an enduring legacy.
Ikkis story depicts Khetarpal’s bravery, courage, and ultimate sacrifice in a sensitive and respectful manner. Offering both the thrill of war and emotional depth in a nostalgic journey Brigadier Khetarpal takes across the border assisted by Brigadier Nisar while retracing his heroic son’s first and only battle. The beauty of of this film lies in its poignant moments. The time when ML Khetarpal visits his ancestral home and is warmly hosted by the new occupants of the house. The moments when Arun and Kiran spend together while dating. Arun’s eagerness to prove his worth and be accepted into the army. The moments that Nisar and ML spend in Pakistan- all these add up for a beautiful, insightful story that Ikkis is. The story is quite interesting because it underlines several points: that while wars are waged between countries, their people bear no grudges against each other; that every soldier does his best for his country; that an army man’s family cannot and must not seek revenge on the rival army man who may have killed their kin. Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat breathe life into the narrative through a sublime, soulful interplay of grief and guilt. Largely functioning as a two-hander, the film is held together by these two formidable performances, which anchor it even when the pace feels inconsistent and storytelling gets stagnant in portions.
It goes beyond war and enmity and taps into the emotions of those who suffer post-war. An injured soldier, a grieving father of a martyr, a brave officer who has witnessed gore and death too closely- the aftermath of war is far more grievous and tragic on both sides of the border and Raghavan’s film highlights these emotions well. At one point, Dharmendra tells Ahlawat that it is upon us to stop the war and the hatred across the two nations. And it comes from a man who has lost his young son at the age of 21 to war, killed defending his country. It comes from a man who has had to move out of his home and rebuild a life in a different city from scratch. Hatred should come easily to him, yet he chooses peace. Unlike most war films, Ikkis doesn’t glorify conflict; it strives for realism. There’s no heavy reliance on CGI or dramatic sound design, which largely works in the film’s favor.
Seeing Dharmendra on screen for the last time is an emotional experience. He outdoes himself in his final appearance. Jaideep Ahlawat again shows why he is one of the most reliable and powerful actors of our time. This role wasn’t easy for Agastya Nanda in his theatrical debut, but he has portrayed the character of an innocent, fearless, and emotional 21-year-old with great authenticity. Meanwhile, Vivaan Shah, Sikandar Kher, and Rahul Dev have been given small but impactful roles that strengthen the narrative. The film has many such dialogues that not only evoke emotion but also give goosebumps.
The screenplay could have been tighter. A parallel storyline running through the film feels weak and breaks the flow at times. The pacing also dips, especially when the film struggles to balance emotions with storytelling. It is not a war movie in the conventional sense. It delivers a familiar message: Indians and Pakistanis are essentially the same, soldiers on both sides are merely following orders, no one is truly at fault, and war only results in loss on both ends. Audiences expecting Border style action, explosions, aerial strikes, bullets flying, and visceral combat are likely to be disappointed. Despite featuring several legendary war heroes such as Hanut Singh and Sagat Singh, the film struggles to showcase their bravery effectively. The climax, in particular, is described as severely underwhelming heavy on build-up, light on payoff, and ending just when the audience expects the real confrontation to begin. It sets out to inspire patriotism but leaves audiences with frustration instead. Viewers walking into theatres expecting renewed respect for Indian soldiers and a surge of national pride may walk out with anger.
Overall movie is not just a war film. It is a deeply human story about courage, sacrifice, reconciliation, and the emotional cost of service. It is heartwarming but doesn’t make the audience’s chests swell with pride and it also doesn’t move them to tears. The closing montage of black-and-white photographs is a poignant tribute, leaving audiences with immense respect for a legend who will forever remain “21”—IKKIS. Watch it for the calm storytelling and as a respectful tribute to Dharmendra and Asrani. My view on this film Recommended If you enjoy war films of our heroes.
For more Movies and Cricket updates visit my page on Facebook Durgesh Tiwary’s View and website Cricket Movie Website