Ikkis Trailer Review: Sriram Raghavan Brings Arun Khetarpal’s Heroic Tale to Life with Power and Poise
Sriram Raghavan, the filmmaker celebrated for his tight grasp of thrillers such as Andhadhun and Johnny Gaddaar, makes a major departure into patriotic biographical storytelling with Ikkis — a film telling the true story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal who was India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra winner. The trailer released by Maddock Films is both stirring and cinematic, giving us a brief emotional insight into the journey of a young soldier whose exceptional bravery transformed him into a legend.
Plot: The trailer depicts Arun Khetarpal’s journey from an idealistic cadet at the National Defence Academy to a tank commander with no fear during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. In the film, he is portrayed by Agastya Nanda, and his character travels back and forth between the innocence of youth and the innate perseverance of a warrior who is bent on defending his motherland. The narrative is told from the perspective of his father, Lt Col M. L. Khetarpal, played by Dharmendra, who attempts to reconcile the choices that his son made leading up to his last brave act. The plot captures the motifs of duty, sacrifice, and legacy, and the counterbalancing blend of emotionally intimate moments with large scale sequences of war.
