Agastya Nanda has opened up about stepping into the role of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal in Ikkis, revealing that he was only twenty-one when Sriram Raghavan entrusted him with portraying the youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee. Speaking at the AajTak Agenda session alongside Simar Bhatia and Jaideep Ahlawat, he recalled how the offer immediately forged a personal connection with the young officer’s story.

Reflecting on the emotional pull of the character, Agastya said that portraying a soldier evokes a sense of instinctive pride — the kind that rises unbidden when hearing the national anthem. Taking on the life of a decorated war hero, he added, brought with it a responsibility that felt “on another level,” transforming the experience into something both demanding and deeply rewarding.

The actor also spoke about how training for the role reshaped his outlook. Immersing himself in the discipline and etiquette of military life, he said, became a gift in itself - teaching him respect, composure and conduct that he will carry forward long after the film. Even without the project, he noted, the exposure to the fauji world would have been invaluable.

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Agastya concluded by emphasising the team’s collective commitment to authenticity. Their hope, he said, is that audiences not only learn about Arun Khettarpal but also understand the essence of a soldier’s resolve. Signing the film at twenty-one, he admitted, gave him confidence he had never felt before - a quiet courage he now recognises in the small moments of everyday life. Ikkis arrives in cinemas on December 25.

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