The first look of Ikkis, starring Agastya Nanda as war hero Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, has been officially released. The film, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Sriram Raghavan and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, is scheduled to hit cinemas in December 2025.
Ikkis tells the real-life story of Arun Khetarpal, India’s youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, who displayed extraordinary bravery during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and laid down his life just after turning 21. Alongside Agastya, the film also stars Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat in pivotal roles.
Maddock Films shared the official poster on Instagram, writing, “On the birth anniversary of Arun Khetarpal, Ikkis, a story that will forever stay in our hearts, is wrapped.” The emotional teaser opens with a letter written during the Battle of Basantar, informing Khetarpal’s father of his son’s death in action on December 16, 1971. It then cuts to powerful visuals of the battlefield and glimpses of Agastya’s portrayal of the young war hero in action.
Film critic Taran Adarsh also confirmed that Ikkis will release on October 2, 2025, aligning with Gandhi Jayanti, and praised the collaboration between Raghavan and Vijan post-Badlapur.
Speaking about the project to PTI, Raghavan emphasized that the film will remain authentic, steering clear of overly dramatized, superhero-like portrayals. “It’s not a comic-book hero version,” he said, explaining that the story will focus on Arun’s journey as a young soldier rather than his early life.
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Raghavan added that while Ikkis will feature large-scale war sequences and tank battles, at its heart, it is a deeply human and emotional coming-of-age drama — one that honours courage, sacrifice, and youth.
