The special preview of the highly anticipated war drama Ikkis turned into an emotional evening for those connected to the legendary story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee who sacrificed his life at just 21 during the 1971 Indo-Pak War.
At a special screening held ahead of the film’s release on January 1, 2026, Arun Khetarpal’s younger brother, Mukesh Khetarpal, was visibly moved by what he saw on screen. After the film ended, he approached Agastya Nanda who portrays Arun and broke down in emotion before giving him a heartfelt hug.
“My grouse is you made me cry. You made me relive certain things that were in my mind, and moment by moment when I saw it on screen, I got so emotional I couldn’t stop crying… Now that I’ve seen the movie, it’s 10 times, maybe 20 or 100 times more than what we see in the trailer.” Whatever else you are, you will be Arun for life. There is no taking that away from you. Well done.
Amitabh Bachchan, Agastya’s grandfather and Bollywood legend, shared that he felt a surge of emotion watching his grandson’s performance and couldn’t take his eyes off him throughout the film.
He lauded Agastya’s authenticity and the film’s writing and direction, noting how moving the experience was.
Director Anil Sharma, known for Gadar, got teary-eyed after watching Ikkis and remembered the late Dharmendra — who appears in his final film role applauding Agastya’s work and the dignity with which the story was told.Other celebrities, including casting director Mukesh Chhabra, have also publicly praised the film’s emotional depth and the cast’s performances.
Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan and produced by Maddock Films, is a biographical war drama centering on Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, PVC, a young Indian Army officer honored posthumously for his extraordinary courage during the 1971 Battle of Basantar.Alongside Agastya Nanda in the lead role, the film also stars Dharmendra, Jaideep Ahlawat, Simar Bhatia, and Vivaan Shah. The story blends intense battlefield sequences with poignant human drama, spotlighting bravery, sacrifice, and legacy.
With its official release set for January 1, 2026, Ikkis is being widely predicted as a powerful cinematic tribute to one of India’s most respected war heroes, and it’s already garnering strong emotional testimonials from both audiences and the real-life family of the man whose story it tells.