A special screening of the film ‘Ikkees’, directed by National Award–winning filmmaker Sriram Raghavan, was recently held ahead of its theatrical release scheduled for 1 January 2026. Ikkees is a biographical war drama based on the extraordinary life of brave Indian Army officer Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra for his exceptional courage during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Notably, Arun Khetarpal remains the youngest recipient of India’s highest wartime gallantry award.
The special screening was jointly hosted by Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol, sons of veteran actor Dharmendra, at PVR ICON, Andheri (East), Mumbai. During the screening, every appearance of Dharmendra on screen evoked strong emotions, bringing tears to the eyes of the audience. His powerful presence once again proved why he continues to be regarded as an evergreen legend of Indian cinema. The film is highly recommended for all fans of Dharmendra.
While Dharmendra’s performance stood out and left a lasting impact, the performances of the remaining cast appeared average. The film features Agastya Nanda, grandson of megastar Amitabh Bachchan, in the lead role, while Simar Bhatia, niece of actor Akshay Kumar, makes her big-screen debut. Both young actors show promise, though it is evident that they will need to put in considerable effort to hone their craft in the future.
The Deol family organized the special screening as a tribute to Dharmendra. The event was attended by several prominent Bollywood personalities, including Rekha, and superstar Salman Khan, who was also spotted at the screening.