Sriram Raghavan's Ikkis, which released on January 1, 2026, brings to life the story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest award for gallantry in war. The film, set against the backdrop of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, stars Agastya Nanda as Arun Khetarpal, alongside Dharmendra, Jaideep Ahlawat and Simar Bhatia.
Ikkis tells the story of a courageous soldier and devoted son, promising to bring one of India's most heroic true stories to the big screen with heart and intensity. The film portrays the extraordinary life of Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred at the age of 21 during the Battle of Basantar. For his courage and sacrifice, he was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, making him the youngest recipient of India's highest military honor at the time.
Agastya Nanda, grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, headlines the film after his debut in The Archies. Veteran actor Dharmendra portrays Arun Khetarpal's father, M.L. Khetarpal, in what is being called his final screen appearance. Jaideep Ahlawat and Simar Bhatia also play key roles. Bhatia portrays a girl Arun has feelings for, adding a romantic angle to the story.
Originally slated for a Christmas release, Ikkis was pushed back to January 1, 2026, to avoid clashing with other big releases. The film received a UA 13+ certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification after some modifications. The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 27 minutes.
Raghavan, known for his thrillers, ventures into the war drama genre with Ikkis. The film is written by Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, and Pooja Ladha Surti.
Ikkis focuses on the human cost of war, honoring Khetarpal's courage and tragedy. The film handles nationalism with restraint, maintaining a pro-humanity stance.
According to reports, Mukesh, Arun Khetarpal's brother, attended a private screening of the movie in Mumbai prior to its premiere. He told Bollywood Hungama that, "My grouse is you made me cry. You made me relive... Certain things were in my mind, and moment by moment, when I saw it on screen, I got so emotional I couldn't stop crying".
Taran Adarsh gave the film 3.5 stars, praising the performances of Dharmendra, Jaideep Ahlawat, and Agastya Nanda.
