IKKIS First Look: Agastya Nanda Steps Into Uniform — But Can Star Power Match a Soldier’s Legacy?

When the Ikkis first look dropped before Thamma this weekend, audiences had one collective thought — why does this look like Sanjay Leela Bhansali secretly directed a war film for Maddock Films?

The scale is unreal. Explosions timed with orchestral strings, dust swirling in cinematic slo-mo, and tanks that look straight out of a ₹200-crore battlefield — Ikkis doesn’t look like your average patriotic biopic. It looks like Dunkirk met Border at Film City.

What Is Ikkis About?

Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film is based on the real story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal, India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra recipient, who was just 21 years old when he made the ultimate sacrifice during the 1971 Indo-Pak war.

The tagline — “Woh Ikkis ka tha, Ikkis ka hi rahega” — hits emotionally. But the question remains: can this film carry the weight of a hero’s legacy when its lead star is still trying to find his footing in the industry?

The Cast and Crew Line-Up

• Agastya Nanda — grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, last seen in The Archies, now playing Arun Khetrapal.

• Dharmendra — plays Agastya’s grandfather on screen too, echoing the real-life bond and adding some emotional heft.

• Sriram Raghavan — the filmmaker behind Andhadhun and Johnny Gaddaar, known for cerebral thrillers, now tackling a patriotic war epic.

• Produced by Dinesh Vijan (Maddock Films) — the same banner behind Thamma and Stree, stepping way outside its comfort zone with this big-budget war drama.

• Cinematography by Anil Mehta, whose lens has previously painted classics like Lagaan and Highway — and here, it’s all dust, sweat, and glory.
  

The First Look: Visuals That Scream “Big Budget Energy”

If you saw the trailer in theatres, you probably noticed the sheer visual polish. Every frame looks like it’s auditioning for a Republic Day montage — grand, slow, and almost mythic.

The sound design is thunderous, the lighting operatic, and the CGI tanks — surprisingly convincing for a Hindi war film. Clearly, Maddock has emptied the vault for this one.

But that brings us to the elephant in the bunker…

The Nepotism Question: Can Agastya Carry the Uniform?

Let’s be honest — Agastya Nanda still looks like he’s borrowing his dad’s watch and his granddad’s gravitas. 

He’s got the posture, the jawline, the crisp uniform — but that voice? Still sounds like he’s ordering coffee at Soho House, not commanding a tank squadron in Sialkot.

Meanwhile, thousands of trained theatre actors and outsiders are hustling for roles in indie war dramas that never see a wide release. Yet, here’s a 23-year-old star kid getting a national hero biopic, directed by one of India’s most respected filmmakers.

This isn’t just privilege — it’s a casting coup. And it’s time we stop pretending that audience acceptance can fix what systemic access keeps repeating.

Still, Credit Where It’s Due

Sriram Raghavan’s direction looks gripping. His attention to texture — the sweat, the tension, the silent pauses — feels authentic. And if Ikkis manages to balance emotion with spectacle, it could become one of the most powerful war films in recent memory.

But Agastya will have to earn that salute — because this isn’t The Archies anymore. It’s history.

Verdict:

Ikkis looks visually stunning and emotionally charged, but all eyes are on whether Agastya Nanda can live up to Arun Khetrapal’s legend — or if the film will become another glossy chapter in Bollywood’s long list of privileged debuts.

Aapke Sawal, Hamare Jawab (FAQs)

Q1: Who was Arun Khetrapal, and what is Ikkis based on? Arun Khetrapal was India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee, who fought heroically in the 1971 war at the age of 21. Ikkis tells his real-life story of courage and sacrifice.

Q2: Who plays Arun Khetrapal in Ikkis? Agastya Nanda, Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson, plays the role. The film also features Dharmendra in a key supporting part.

Q3: Who is directing and producing Ikkis? Directed by Sriram Raghavan and produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, Ikkis releases in December 2025.

Q4: Is Ikkis connected to Thamma or Maddock’s Horror Comedy Universe? No, Ikkis is a standalone war biopic — a completely different genre from Maddock’s supernatural slate.

Q5: What makes Ikkis visually unique? The film’s scale, cinematography by Anil Mehta, and rich CGI set design give it a Bhansali-meets-Border aesthetic — rare for modern Hindi war dramas.