MovieTimeहिन्दी
War · Biography · Drama
Ikkis (2026)
इक्कीस
1 Jan 2026147 minHindiUA
Hindi war drama built around Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, and his role in the 1971 Battle of Basantar. The story also follows a much later chapter, when his father travels to Pakistan decades after the war.
Editorial preview: written from official information, the trailer and public sources — not a full viewing of the film.
Synopsis
Hindi war drama built around Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, and his role in the 1971 Battle of Basantar. The story also follows a much later chapter, when his father travels to Pakistan decades after the war.
Ikkis 2026: a war story told through a family
Ikkis 2026 is a Hindi biographical war drama about Arun Khetarpal, a young army officer who received the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest wartime gallantry award, and is recorded as its youngest recipient. The story centres on the 1971 India-Pakistan war and the Battle of Basantar, but the film also looks ahead to a later journey made by his father, which suggests it wants to be as much about memory and loss as about tanks and ranks.
That double structure is the most interesting thing to know before you press play. War films usually stay on the battlefield; this one, going by the published premise, also spends time on what the war leaves behind.
Release date and where to watch
The makers, Maddock Films, first announced a theatrical release on 25 December 2025. Reference listings such as Wikipedia give the theatrical date as 1 January 2026 in India, so treat the exact opening day with a little care. For streaming, the same listing records Amazon Prime Video from 26 February 2026. A trade-site report adds that the film first appeared there as a rental and later moved into the regular Prime catalogue.
Availability on a streaming service can change by region and over time, so check the platform page before planning an evening around it.
Cast, director and what the team is known for
Sriram Raghavan directs and co-writes with Arijit Biswas and Pooja Ladha Surti. Raghavan is better known to audiences for thrillers, so a war biography from him is an unexpected pairing, and it is reasonable to wonder how his taste for tension carries over.
Agastya Nanda plays Arun Khetarpal. Dharmendra appears as the officer's father, Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal, and Jaideep Ahlawat plays Brigadier Jaan Mohammad Nisar, a Pakistan Army officer. Simar Bhatia, Suhasini Mulay and Rahul Dev are also in the listed cast. We have not watched the film, so we cannot comment on how any performance lands.
Who this film suits
If you like true-story war films that care about people more than spectacle, the premise fits. It also suits families who want to talk about 1971 history afterwards. Viewers who want non-stop action may find the family thread a slower element, though that is an expectation, not a verdict.
Because the film is built on a real person and a documented battle, it is worth reading a short, reliable account of the 1971 war and the Param Vir Chakra before or after watching. Doing so makes it easier to separate what the filmmakers dramatise from what is on the historical record, which is the honest way to approach any biographical war drama. Note too that a trade-site cast listing and a reference page disagree on the opening day, which is a reminder to rely on the platform's own page for dates.
Who will enjoy Ikkis?
- Fans of true-story war dramas
- Viewers curious about Sriram Raghavan outside thrillers
- Families interested in 1971 history
Trailer
Ikkis - The Final Trailer | In Cinemas Worldwide This New Year | 1st January 2026 – Trailer · Channel: Maddock Films
Cast
Agastya Nanda2nd Lt. Arun KhetarpalBorn 2000 · Mumbai, Maharashtra
DharmendraBrigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal (retd)Born 1935 · Ludhiana, Punjab
Jaideep AhlawatBrigadier Jaan Mohammad NisarBorn 1980 · Rohtak, Kharkara
Simar BhatiaKiran Kochhar
Suhasini MulayMaheshwari KhetarpalBorn 1950 · Patna, Bihar
Rahul DevLt. Col. Hanut SinghBorn 1968 · Saket, New DelhiPhoto: TMDB
FAQ
Where can I watch Ikkis?
A reference listing records Amazon Prime Video from 26 February 2026. Availability can vary, so confirm on the platform.
Who is Ikkis based on?
On Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest Param Vir Chakra recipient, and the 1971 Battle of Basantar.
When was Ikkis released?
Ikkis was released on 1 Jan 2026.
Who directed Ikkis?
Ikkis was directed by Sriram Raghavan.
How long is Ikkis?
Ikkis runs for 147 minutes.
