‘It’s Such a Special Film to All of Us’: Karan Johar on Watching Dharmendra on Screen ‘For One Last Time’ in ‘Ikkis’, Calls Sriram Raghavan’s War Film Deeply Special and Emotional
Karan Johar has shared his emotional thoughts on watching veteran actor Dharmendra on screen “for one last time” in the upcoming war film Ikkis. The filmmaker called the film deeply special and paid tribute to Dharmendra’s legacy. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, 'Ikkis 'tells the true story of Param Vir Chakra hero Arun Khetarpal and stars Agastya Nanda in the lead role.
Bollywood multi-hyphenate Karan Johar is eagerly waiting to see the upcoming war film Ikkis, which posthumously stars Dharmendra. KJo attended the trailer launch of his upcoming production Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, and spoke about the recent releases, and the upcoming films as 2025 draws to a close. 'Ikkis': Dharmendra and Agastya Nanda’s War Drama Gets YRF Overseas Distribution for Christmas 2025.
Karan Johar Calls Dharmendra’s ‘Ikkis’ Appearance Deeply Emotional
KJo told the media stationed at the venue, “I'm incredibly, incredibly proud of the success of Dhurandhar and my congratulations to the entire team. It's a phenomenal film. I've heard the best things about Avatar: Fire and Ash but I've also heard amazing things about our film. And I know that it's a Christmas release and I think it's a festive release”. He further mentioned, “I would also like to take the opportunity to say how I'm looking forward to watching Ikkis. It's such a special film to all of us. For me, for personal reasons, we have such great regard, respect and reverence for Dharamji. And it's been a tremendous loss to all of us. And watching it for one last time would mean the world to all of us as fans and cinegoers. And also, it's Agastya's film. I've known Agastya. So I think all of us can do exceedingly well in the cinemas. And the whole power should be with the box office of Indian cinema. Because when we prosper, you prosper. And when you prosper, we prosper. It's just really fascinating”. ‘Ikkis’: Agastya Nanda’s Intriguing FIRST Look As Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal Out; Sriram Raghavan’s War Drama To Release in December 2025 (View Post)
About Film 'Ikkis'
Ikkis is directed by Sriram Raghavan, and is based on the life of Arun Khetarpal, one of India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardees, who was martyred during the 1971 Indo-Pak war at the age of 21. The title directly refers to Khetarpal’s age at the time of his death. The lead role is played by Agastya Nanda, marking a significant departure from conventional debut choices, as the film prioritises realism over spectacle. Veteran actor Dharmendra appears in a key role, adding generational weight to the narrative. The film focuses on military discipline, battlefield decision-making, and personal courage rather than melodrama. Staying true to historical accounts, the film aims to portray the human cost of war while honouring a real-life hero whose bravery continues to hold national significance.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 18, 2025 06:33 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).