The late actor Dharmendra, who will be posthumously featured in the upcoming film ‘Ikkis’, once expressed his hope that audiences in both India and Pakistan would watch the movie.
Recently, Dharmendra’s elder son, Sunny Deol, shared a behind-the-scenes video from ‘Ikkis’ on his Instagram. In the video, Dharmendra stated, “I’m extremely happy to be in the Mandav films. The team, the captain, Shriram ji. It was done in a very nice way.”
He added, “I think India and Pakistan both should see the film. I’m a bit happily sad today, the last day of shooting. I love you all, if I made any mistake, please forgive me.”
Sunny’s heartfelt caption read, “A smile that lit up the darkness. Generosity without limits. Love for my papa is deeply rooted in our hearts. He has blessed us with his final film, Ikkis. Let’s celebrate him in movie halls this New Year.”
Directed by Sriram Raghavan, ‘Ikkis’ is inspired by the life of Arun Khetarpal, one of India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardees, who was martyred during the 1971 Indo-Pak war at just 21 years old. The title directly refers to Khetarpal’s age at the time of his death.
Agastya Nanda stars in the lead role, marking a significant departure from traditional debut choices, as the film focuses on realism rather than spectacle. Veteran actor Dharmendra has a key role, adding generational weight to the narrative.
‘Ikkis’ emphasizes military discipline, battlefield decision-making, and personal courage over melodrama. Staying true to historical accounts, the film aims to illustrate the human cost of war while honoring a real-life hero whose bravery continues to resonate nationally.