Producer Dinesh Vijan speaks about Ikkis with a mix of pride, awe, and deep personal emotion. For him, the film is far more than a war drama — it’s a story that changed him.
Recalling the first time he heard the stories of Second Lieutenant Arun Kheterpal, the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee, Vijan says the film struck him at a vulnerable time in his life. “This film made me realise what a 21-year-old Indian can do. When I heard stories about him, I had just lost my father. It is a story about what a young 21-year-old can do, and also about the bond between a father and a son who is no longer there. That resonated with me, and the film became personal.” He adds that Ikkis was originally meant to be made before the COVID era — a dream long delayed but never abandoned.
To Vijan, the making of Ikkis was nothing short of madness — the exhilarating kind. “Everything about this film is crazy because a tank battle is easier said than done,” he admits with a laugh. He credits director Sriram Raghavan for pushing everyone involved to achieve absolute authenticity. “Sriram Raghavan is the purest filmmaker we have in this country. He is relentless. He looks very sweet, but he is never going to give in. His only condition was that the war must look like a real war and I promised him that.”
According to Vijan, the cast and crew poured their lives into the film. The goal was simple but ambitious: place the audience inside a tank, not just in front of it. “When you watch it, you’re going to feel like you are sitting inside a tank,” he promises.
For Vijan, Ikkis carries a message of strength meant for every viewer, especially young Indians. “This Christmas, what this film will give you is courage. Gift yourself some courage go and watch this film. I feel every 21-year-old, whether you are one or you have a 21-year-old in your life as a sibling or a child, when you see what Arun Kheterpal did, it will change your life. You will be proud to be an Indian, and proud to be 21.”
Vijan, who has worked with the late legendary actor Irrfan Khan, draws a rare comparison. “I have had the good fortune of working with Irrfan sir. When you speak to him, and then see what he does on screen, it feels almost god-given. After him, if I have seen that same quality in someone, it’s Jaideep,” he says, praising Jaideep Ahlawat, who stars in the film.
Ikkis is a biographical war film based on the untold true story of Second Lieutenant Arun Kheterpal, the youngest recipient of India’s highest wartime gallantry honour, the Param Vir Chakra.Directed by Sriram Raghavan and starring Agastya Nanda, Simar Bhatia, Dharmendra, and Jaideep Ahlawat, Ikkis hits cinemas worldwide on December 25, 2025.