Filmmaker Sriram Raghavan’s recent release, Ikkis, failed to perform well at the box office despite receiving positive reviews. The film was criticised for allegedly glorifying Pakistani soldiers, prompting comparisons with Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, which depicted Pakistan’s support for terrorism. Now, in an interview with Screen, Ikkis writers Pooja Ladha Surti and Arijit Biswas have addressed the comparisons.
Ikkis writers address the comparison between their film and Dhurandhar
When asked about Ikkis being compared to Dhurandhar, with the latter being termed a more “film of the hour”, Arijit Biswas explained that the two films exist in very different spaces. He said, “Dhurandhar exists in a completely different ecosystem. It’s about the mafia and gangsters, with its own rules. You can’t expect the moral code of a gangster film to align with that of a war film, which is governed by a warrior’s code.”
Pooja added, “I wouldn’t want to pit one against the other. Both films are wildly different and inhabit complex worlds. In a democracy, there should be room for both Dhurandhar and Ikkis to coexist.”
About Dhurandhar and Ikkis
Ikkis is a biographical war drama based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Kheterpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra. Set against the backdrop of the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 India–Pakistan War, the film marks Agastya Nanda’s theatrical debut and also stars Jaideep Ahlawat, Simar Bhatia and late veteran actor Dharmendra. While the film was praised for its sensitive portrayal of war and soldiers, as well as the cast’s performances, it also faced criticism for depicting Pakistani soldiers in a favourable light.
Dhurandhar follows an Indian spy who infiltrates Pakistani gangster Rehman Dakait’s gang to dismantle the criminal syndicate while secretly passing intelligence to RAW about its links with the ISI, with the aim of curbing terrorism at its roots. The film stars Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Arjun Rampal and Sanjay Dutt in lead roles, alongside Rakesh Bedi and Sara Arjun in key roles.
Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, Dhurandhar emerged as an all-time blockbuster, collecting over ₹1,200 crore worldwide at the box office. It also became the highest-grossing Bollywood film ever domestically, with earnings exceeding ₹850 crore. The second instalment of the film is scheduled for release on March 19.
