When Ikkis was being shot, nobody expected it to be Dharmendra’s last film. Based on the life of PVC awardee 2nd Lt. Arun Khetarpal, the Sriram Raghavan directorial also marks Akshay Kumar’s niece Simar Bhatia’s Bollywood debut and Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda’s theatrical debut. However, the reason why a majority of the audience rushed to cinema halls on Ikkis’ release was to witness Dharam Paaji’s magic one last time. But did you know makers were initially unsure about casting Bollywood’s He-Man as Arun’s onscreen father Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal (retd)?
In a recent chat with Indian Express, Ikkis co-writer Pooja Ladha Surti opened up about Dharmendra’s casting in the film. She was quoted saying, “Internally, we had a bit of a debate about casting him; some felt he was no longer relevant. But Sriram was sure, it had to be him. All three of us were sure it had to be him. We have been his fans all along, and it’s sad that he is no longer with us. But the passion he had for his work, the fact that he used to write all the dialogues, including those of other actors in Urdu, and even be on set for filler shots, is something I’ll never forget.”
Pooja went on to remember, “In fact, I remember the zeal he had; it’s something even the younger lot doesn’t possess. I vividly remember when he heard the script, he said, “This is me. How can anyone else do this?” He was so happy and even told Sriram that if, for any reason, he couldn’t do it, the story must still be made, it’s too important to not be told in these times.”
Ikkis has been co-written by Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas and Pooja Ladha Surti, and backed by Dinesh Vijan, Binny Padda, Sharada Karki Jalota and Poonam Shivdasani. Also starring Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikander Kher and Deepak Dobriyal, the film arrived in theatres on January 1, 2026.
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