Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis is based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Kheterpal, who was martyred on the battlefield during the India–Pakistan war of 1971. He was just 21 at the time, but his bravery went on to inspire generations. From the moment the film was announced, it was a known fact that it would chronicle the courageous life of Arun Kheterpal. This is not the first time a biographical war drama on a fallen hero has been adapted for the screen, but Sriram Raghavan’s first war film hits differently. Ikkis is more than just a tale of bravery, it is about love, loss, grief, and the hope for a peaceful tomorrow.

Ikkis also marks the final film of Dharmendra, who passed away on November 24. He plays retired Brigadier Madan Lal Kheterpal, who visits Lahore 30 years after his son’s death. The visit is to attend the centenary celebrations of his school, as he grew up in undivided India. For him, the journey becomes an unfolding of his son’s last days as he exchanges memories with retired Pakistani army officer Brigadier Jaan Mohammad Nissar (played by Jaideep Ahlawat).