Ikkis X Review: Netizens Hail Agastya Nanda's Film; Call It 'Sensible, Grounded' And A Perfect Tribute To Dharmendra

National award-winning filmmaker Sriram Raghavan, best known for his mystery thrillers and neo-noir films, including Andhadhun, Ek Hasina Thi, and Merry Christmas, steps out of his comfort zone to challenge and showcase his versatility in a new genre—war biopic, Ikkis, which chronicles the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred at the age of 21. He was posthumously honoured with India's highest military recognition, the Param Vir Chakra, for his valour and dedication in the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 India–Pakistan War.

The film hit the theatres on January 1 and opened to positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Ikkis is beyond a war drama. It's a film about emotions, grief, sacrifice, dedication, and legacy. Raghavan has received praise for telling the story of the war hero with dignity, restraint and respect—without chest-thumping patriotism and glorifying violence.

Everyone has raved about Agastya's confident and promising silver screen debut. Seeing Dharmendra for one last time on screen turned everyone emotional. They called Ikkis a powerful tribute to the late legend. Many called him the 'soul' of the film.

Apart from Agastya and Dharmendra, the rest of the cast, including Jaideep Ahlawat, Rahul Dev, Sikandar Kher, Vivaan Shah and Deepak Dobriyal also received praises for their respective roles which played an important part of the narrative. Simar Bhatia, who has made her debut with Ikkis, is also praised for her honest performance.

Though the film comes with certain drawbacks, netizens called it a perfect tribute to bravery and sacrifice, connecting everyone emotionally.

Have a look at the netizens' reviews of Ikkis on X here.

A special premiere of Ikkis was held in Mumbai recently, which was attended by several Bollywood stars, including Salman Khan, Rekha, Naseeruddin Shah, Sunny Deol, and Bobby Deol, among others.