Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended a special screening of Agastya Nanda’s upcoming war drama film ‘Ikkis’ in the national capital. At the event, he not only interacted with the film’s actors, Agastya and Jaideep Ahlawat, but also paid tribute to the family of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who lost his life at the age of 21 during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war. Rajnath Singh shared pictures of the event on his official Facebook handle, paying homage to the brave soldier’s sacrifice and extending his best wishes to the film team.
Felicitated the family members of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, PVC, and the next of kin of his tank crew at the special screening of film ‘Ikkis’ in New Delhi. Arun Khetarpal fought valiantly in the 1971 war and made the supreme sacrifice for the nation. The film Ikkis… pic.twitter.com/RUMBbOGD2p
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 22, 2025
Rajnath Singh posted images of the event on his X account, writing, “I had the honor of congratulating the families of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal (PVC) and his tank crew on the occasion of the special screening of the film ‘Ikkis’ in New Delhi.” During the 1971 war, Arun Khetarpal bravely fought and gave his life for his country. The movie “Ikkis” honors the valor of our armed services and portrays his bravery. Additionally, I got along well with the cast of the movie “Ikkis.” I hope they succeed in all of their future endeavors.
The movie is based on Arun Khetarpal’s life.
‘Ikkis’, which is set to release in less than two weeks, is based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra. The film stars Agastya Nanda in the lead role, along with Jaideep Ahlawat, Suhasini Mulay, Sikandar Kher, and Rahul Dev. This is also Dharmendra’s first posthumous film. The final trailer of ‘Ikkis’ was recently released, giving viewers a deeper glimpse into the life of the war hero Arun. It showcases intense battlefield scenes. The most poignant part of the trailer comes when Dharmendra’s character reflects on Arun’s legacy, saying that he will always remain 21 years old. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, ‘Ikkis’, which was earlier scheduled for a December 25 release, will now release on January 1, 2026. Now it remains to be seen whether this film can perform well at the box office or not.
