'Ikkis' review: Agastya's earnest war drama is worth watching
What's the story
Sriram Raghavan's Ikkis, featuring Agastya Nanda in his theatrical debut, is a war film that cuts through the chaos. Based on the incredible valor of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, PVC, it consistently bats for hope and humanity. Ikkis closely dissects the human cost and sheer futility of war, and serves as a fitting, poetic farewell for Dharmendra.
Plot
Highlights Khetarpal's unbelievable sacrifice for India
Set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, Ikkis (what an incredible title) tells the story of Khetarpal, who was martyred at just 21. Dharmendra essays his father, Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal, while Jaideep Ahlawat plays Pakistan Army's Brigadier Jaan Mohammad Nisar. Ikkis alternates between 1971 and 2001, as Nisar, who battled Khetarpal, recounts his bravery to his grieving but proud father.
#1
Nanda makes for a fine lead
Nanda, who made his Bollywood debut with The Archies (2023), is decent and consistent throughout the movie. He constantly reminds you of a young Abhishek Bachchan, and brings alive Khetarpal's hunger for success, intense patriotism, and unimaginable valor. Though he falters in emotional sequences, Raghavan extracts a mostly committed performance from him, and Ikkis is an excellent early addition to his filmography.
#2
Raghavan goes for raw, unfiltered storytelling
In Ikkis, everyone feels human. Living, breathing, flawed humans with feelings, families, and dreams. Nobody is a caricature, nobody an evil villain. What a refreshing change for contemporary Hindi cinema that has mistaken endless noise for intensity. In one scene, when Khetarpal and his teammates enter Pakistan, he says, "Kuch alag nahi dikh raha. Sab ek jaisa hai." That effectively sums up Ikkis's messaging.
#3
More on the above aspect
Dharmendra and Ahlawat are rarely apart, and Ahlawat matches the legend beat for beat. Raghavan seems nostalgic for a peaceful past, and who better than a yesteryear superstar to represent the era gone by? Moreover, Ikkis might be Khetarpal's biopic, but it speaks for all soldiers. What's their blood worth? And, what about the war that their families fight long after they're gone?
#4
Areas where it could have been better
The patchy editing frequently takes you out of the film, scenes seem to conclude abruptly, and the non-linear storytelling is a hit-and-miss. Ikkis does not always have the kind of gripping screenplay a war drama should, and its tonal shifts add to its woes. Moreover, the emotions don't always land effectively, so there's always a disconnect, an emptiness.
#5
You struggle to connect with characters sometimes
Like another recent war film, 120 Bahadur, Ikkis boasts enough gumption, but it's the uneven execution that mars the experience. A little too restrained, it sometimes feels artificial, as if the director is reminding us what to conclude from the scenes. Additionally, Simar Bhatia, who plays Khetarpal's girlfriend, Kiran, is pleasant, but her character is half-baked and struggles to contribute to the central story.
Verdict
Different from usual war films; 3.5/5 stars
Ikkis marks a genre shift for Raghavan, who's best known for his neo-noir thrillers like Andhadhun and Ek Hasina Thi. He isn't entirely successful, and Ikkis often struggles to engage, but its overarching theme, that war has no winners, trumps the drawbacks. The movie speaks for peace, and the honesty it reflects is hard to come by in Bollywood today. 3.5/5 stars.