By
Sharada Iyer
Director Sriram Raghavan’s war biopic drama Ikkis is indeed a fitting finale to Dharmendra’s extraordinary career which lasted six decades. The veteran actor could not have asked for a better farewell film. Not only does he have plenty of screen time but also in the important role of the martyred son’s grieving father, he forms the lifeline of the film. In fact, it is through his emotions that the director sums up the essence of what he wants to convey to his audience.
The film is a tribute to the bravery and courage of the young 21-year-old Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal who was martyred in the battle of Basantar, during the Indo-Pak war of 1971. He was an Indian Army officer and a Tank Commander and was posthumously awarded India’s highest military decoration-the Param Vir Chakra.
The film focuses on three principal characters- Arun Khetrapal -played by young Agastya Nanda, Brigadier Khetrapal- Arun’s father played by Dharmendra, and Brigadier Mohammed Naser who is the opponent confronting Arun in the battlefield- played by Jaideep Ahlawat. Almost three decades after Arun’s death, Dharmendra decides to travel to Pakistan for a reunion of his batchmates, and he stays with Jaideep Ahlawat and his family who play his host during his entire stay. He is welcomed lovingly and is touched by their love and warmth. The reunion brings back memories of a lost time in their lives.
Dharmendra also visits his birthplace to see his old house where he had grown-up and meets the current residents who are its occupants now. He receives a warm welcome from them and they talk on how partition changed everything. There also occurs a small confrontation with a wounded Pakistani soldier ,played by Deepak Dobriyal, who had lost his leg in the battle and wants the Brigadier out of his country. And finally, with a heavy heart Dharmendra also visits the place where during the tank battle his son had been killed.
Emotions flow as the events unfold on the screen. Right from the beginning, there are scenes from Arun Ketrapal’s life interspersed in the narrative. We become privy to Arun’s entry into the army, his relationship with his batchmates and seniors, his energy and youthful enthusiasm as he is rearing to go to the warfront even though the training of their batch could not be completed. We also get to see his brief love life with a girl whom he meets during his training.
The intention of the director to express a different take on war is laudable. However, the story telling is not linear as it follows flashbacks of Arun and cuts to the present timeline in the lives of both the Brigadiers. And sadly, this leaves a slightly jarring impact and does not allow the audience to be fully emotionally involved with the events. It is difficult to pinpoint but some ‘x’ factor seems to be missing. Though the battle scenes with the Tanks are shot very well, this comes too much at the end of the film and fails to evoke the searing effect these scenes deserved. Overall, the screenplay could have been more stirring and impactful to do justice to this brave warrior.
Coming to the cast, Dharmendra is excellent as the father and to all Dharmendra fans out there, the film is a must watch for this final performance. It is not difficult to understand why this man ruled over our hearts for 60 glorious years. His screen presence at this age is amazing and the emotions in his eyes speak volumes. He also has a scene with the late Asrani at the reunion and it was nice seeing them both in their final act.
Jaideep Ahlawat yet again delivers a flawless performance. This brilliant actor never ceases to astonish. The quiet dignity he brings to his role is truly remarkable. He sure is lucky to have got so many scenes with Dharmendra before the veteran passed away.
Being Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson newcomer Agastya Nanda brings with him a heavy baggage of expectations and his path is not going to be easy. Amitabh debuted with a war film Saat Hindustani in 1969 and now 57 years later, his grandson also gets to make his mark in a war film. Though technically Agastya’s debut film was The Archies which released on Netflix in 2023, Ikkis is his first film to be released in cinema halls. He fits the role of the young officer as he looks young and fresh and brings a certain earnestness to his performance. The director has placed a lot of trust in him and given him a tough role and one can see Agastya’s effort but he looks too raw and his expressions need to be worked on.
Newcomer Simar Bhatia (actor Akshay Kumar’s niece) somehow looks a misfit in her role. There is no charm or chemistry in their romance and their pairing does not add the necessary emotions to the film. She seems to be quite clueless about acting and her dialogue delivery leaves much to be desired. Actors Rahul Dev, Vivaan Shah and Sikander Kher are wonderful in their small parts.
Ikkis differs from other war films currently being made in Bollywood as it focuses on the humane aspect of war and not on aggressive chest-thumping jingoism and graphic killings. What it tries to convey is that all these battles and wars to conquer a piece of land ultimately only end in decimation and destruction all around and leaves behind grieving families who just go about their lives mechanically. On both sides of the border the soldiers are tied to their oath to protect their country but in the end, the impact of lost lives is the same as the wounds and scars of war never really heal.
But are there any takers for this kind of film and does the film really succeed in conveying these emotions? Only time will tell. The cinema hall was quite empty as I sat watching the first show of this film. The film also faces a tough competition from the formidable Dhurandhar which has broken all box-office records. But trade reports do suggest that the film is seeing some increase in footfall which is heartening.
Ikkis deserves to be watched for Dharmendra’s performance and also to understand how the young 21 year-old Arun without batting an eyelid gave up his life for his country.
https://myviewsonbollywood.wordpress.com/2026/01/06/ikkis-dharmendras-swan-song-is-the-perfect-farewell-gift/