‘Ikkis’ OTT release: Dharmendra’s final film and untold set stories

When 'Ikkis' marched into cinemas on January 1, it brought with it the thunder of war, the weight of sacrifice, and the stirring story of Param Vir Chakra awardee Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal — but beyond the intense battle sequences were equally compelling moments of camaraderie, meticulous craftsmanship, and real-life connections that quietly shaped the film’s soul.

Now that the Sriram Raghavan directorial has begun streaming on OTT from Thursday, the spotlight shifts from the battlefield to the bustling film set. Headlined by Agastya Nanda in the titular role, alongside veteran legend Dharmendra in his final screen appearance, and supported by Jaideep Ahlawat and Simar Bhatia, the biographical war drama was mounted by Maddock Films. Whether you watched the film in the theaters or will watch it now on the OTT, we bring you some of the many stories you didn’t see on screen but happened behind-the-scenes.

When Dharmendra took a ‘tanga’ ride and Jaideep turned playback singer for him:

Ambika Singh Parmar, assistant stylist on 'Ikkis', has not one but many cherished memories from the film’s shooting days. Among them, one that she considers especially unforgettable is when Dharmendra decided to shoot a video of himself on a ‘tanga’ (horse cart). As the veteran actor settled in to capture the breezy ride on camera, his co-star Jaideep was quicker to seize the moment — breaking into an old Hindi classic and spontaneously becoming Dharmendra’s playback singer.

“Just as Dharam Sir hopped onto the tanga and Jaideep started singing, everyone knew it was a moment for the books. It was so heartwarming to witness these two actors share that space — no one could resist pulling out their phones to record it,” Ambika recalled, adding that Dharmendra’s presence on set always kept the energy upbeat and positive.

She further shared that the episode took place near Lucknow, during a scene in which Retd Brigadier Madan Lal Khetarpal (played by Dharmendra) is travelling by car with Brigadier Jaan Mohammed Nisar (played by Jaideep) from Lahore to Sargodha.

Brigadier Brijendra Singh’s blink-and-miss appearance in 'Ikkis':

Mounting a biographical war drama is nothing short of a mammoth undertaking — and one that demands rigorous research and lived insight. For 'Ikkis', Sriram Raghavan and his team leaned heavily on army veterans who joined as researchers to ensure the film’s emotional and historical accuracy. Among them was Retd Brigadier Brijendra Singh, who had fought alongside Arun Khetarpal during the 1971 war.

In the film, Brigadier Singh is portrayed by actor Kailash Gowthaman, and for the most part, the real-life officer remained away from the camera. However, what many viewers may not realise is that he does make a brief appearance in the movie. In a bonfire sequence — just before the soldiers head into battle — a group of army personnel can be seen singing and dancing. It is in this very scene that Brigadier Brijendra Singh makes a blink-and-miss cameo, quietly becoming a part of the cinematic retelling of a chapter he once lived in reality.

Stitching history: The extensive research behind authentic army uniforms

'Ikkis' was a feat not just in terms of direction, performances, and technical finesse, but also in the sheer depth of research that went into its costumes. Recreating a bygone era — and getting the uniforms of both the Indian and Pakistani armies during the 1971 war absolutely right — was no small task. Authenticity was non-negotiable, and the responsibility weighed heavily on the costume department.

As Ambika recalls, the team spent nearly two to three months on research alone before filming even began — and the process continued well into the shoot. One of the biggest challenges they faced was determining the correct colours and fabrics of the army uniforms.

“Those were the days when most photographs were clicked in black and white. Therefore, we had to do extensive research to arrive at the right shade of colour for the uniforms. Not just that, sourcing the same kind of fabric was also quite challenging, given how much textiles have evolved over the years,” she explained. “We read several books and spent days poring over every photograph we could find. Since the internet didn’t have enough coloured images for reference, we met many army veterans who had served during that era to better understand the detailing,” she told Mathrubhumi English.

The result was a painstakingly crafted visual authenticity that quietly strengthened the film’s emotional and historical resonance.

When and where to watch ‘Ikkis’:

While ‘Ikkis’ made its OTT debut on Thursday, the film will be available to watch only on a rental basis on Prime Video. The film will be available to all subscribers to watch from February 26. As far as the box office collection is concerned, ‘Ikkis’ reportedly earned Rs. 72 crore worldwide, of which Rs. 31 crore were minted from the domestic box office. Despite a powerful performance, direction, and screenplay, ‘Ikkis’ turned out to be an average grosser at the ticket window.