‘Devoid of rhetoric’ | ‘Depict the human side of war’ | ‘No loud heroism’
Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis is earning rare praise from Indian Army veterans as a wellcrafted war drama that also works as a powerful anti-war film. The film follows the story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal (played by Agastya Nanda), a tank commander, who was martyred at the age of 21 during the Battle of Basantar in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest wartime gallantry award. Veterans praise the film’s meticulous battle scenes and its humane portrayal of soldiers.Major General (retd) Yash Mor says some of the recent war films, including Ikkis and 120 Bahadur , depict a maturity in war cinema in India. On Army Day, we speak to several former officers to understand what, in their view, defines a truly compelling war film.
Ikkis Rejects Chest-Thumping Patriotism, Asks Who Really Wins After Medals And Martyrdom
‘It is important for a war film to show the human side of war, emotional depth and that humanity often exists beyond conflict’ Major General (retd) Yash Mor says, “In the genre of war films, 120 Bahadur and Ikkis show a maturity of Indian cinema. These films pick strong themes devoid of rhetoric and jingoism. There is no excessive, over-the-top patriotism like we saw in Border and many other films. Ikkis, in particular, is wonderful. It shows the human side of war, emotional depth, and that humanity often exists beyond conflict. History shows that even after terrible wars, people eventually reach out to one another and peace is restored.” ‘Creating a story around infantry life is easier than portraying armoured warfare’ “Films like L.O.C. Kargil , Lakshya , and Pippa were absolutely to the point in their treatment of the military,” says Major (retd) Sandeep Sangwan, adding, Sam Bahadur was particularly well made, even though it was a biographical film. Now Ikkis has arrived, and 120 Bahadur is another important film.” Speaking about the film , Major (retd) Sangwan adds, “The battle scenes are immersive and powerful. The acting is excellent and true to the era, and the 1962 war scenes are recreated very accurately.”Talking about Ikkis , he explains, “Tank battle (scenes) require real tanks, accurate movement, correct command structures, and proper communication between tanks and soldiers. In terms of armoured warfare technicalities, Ikkis does full justice.”‘Realism in war cinema doesn’t come from explosions’‘WAR FILMS HELP BRING HEROES LIKE 2ND LT ARUN KHETARPAL AND MAJOR SHAITAN SINGH BHATI INTO PUBLIC MEMORY’Reflecting on the evolution of war cinema, Major General (retd) Yash Mor says,“Some of the best war films were made in the 1960s and 1970s like Haqeeqat . Later films like and Prahaar, Lakshya and LOC: Kargil also came close to depicting war realistically. Then we entered a phase of over-the-top jingoism. War films should be made in a way that people can watch them even 30 to 40 years later, and students of history can learn from them much like Hollywood’s World War II films. I believe we are finally catching up. Ikkis is a film I would recommend to everyone. It shows how a very young officer, with limited experience, goes into battle and reveals the human side of war. Ultimately, it underlines that war is futile – even if some hardliners dismiss it as ‘Aman ki Asha’ thinking.”In Ikkis , 2nd Lt Khetarpal is initially excited about going to war. But later in the film, while he is on the ground, a reporter’s question brings home the reality of war. Veterans say that transition is portrayed beautifully. Major (retd) Sandeep Sangwan adds, “Soldiers are trained to feel an internal call to fight if war breaks out. But war is never good – it destroys economies and takes countless lives. Still, when war happens, a soldier will always step forward to defend the nation. Films like Ikkis and 120 Bahadur help bring forgotten heroes like Arun Khetarpal and Major Shaitan Singh Bhati into public memory.”Major General (retd) Yash Mor adds,“Perhaps someday a film will also be made on Captain Bana Singh, the hero of Siachen.” Major (retd) Mohommed Ali Shah adds,“My father, Lieutenant General Zameer Uddin Shah, former Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, fought in the 1971 war. My cousin Vivaan Shah played Captain Vijendra Malhotra in Ikkis recently, and he dedicated the film to him. War films must explore duty, loss, and the human cost of war… The best war films also show how a boy becomes a soldier – what inspires him.”‘What works in war films… is when they get the basics right’Talking about realistic depictions, Santosh Singh, director of Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond , explains, “I think the most realistic war films are the ones that don’t try too hard to look heroic. Real battles are messy, tense, and often quiet for long hours and that’s something cinema sometimes forgets. What works for me in films like Border , Uri , Sam Bahadur , even some of the recent attempts is when they get the basics right, procedure, hierarchy, the uncertainty of war. While directing Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond , I realised realism doesn’t come from explosions or scale. It comes from behaviour, how soldiers speak, how they receive orders, how pressure is handled. These are trained professionals, not characters constantly delivering punchlines or dramatic speeches. To make battle feel real, as a filmmaker we have to respect the subject… War isn’t just about bravado, it is about responsibility, precision and the human cost behind every decision.” 
120 Bahadur
120 Bahadur recounts the story of Param Vir Chakra awardee Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, who along with 120 soldiers, held off Chinese forces for 48 hours without any support during the Battle of Rezang La (1962). It has been appreciated by army veterans for its battle scenes and accuracy 
Agastya Nanda in Ikkis
Several Army officers who recently watched Ikkis recalled hearing Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal’s name spoken with reverence during their training days. They say the film’s meticulously staged scenes from the Battle of Basantar (1971) and its focus on soldiers’ inner conflicts humanise the men in the uniforms – something the finest war films manage to do 
Lakshya
Lakshya was praised for its authentic portrayal of uniformed life and the Kargil War (1999) 
Haqeeqat
Uri
(Above) A still from Haqeeqat , set against the Sino- Indian War of 1962, with Dharmendra playing the role of Captain Bahadur Singh(Below) Vicky Kaushal portrayed Major Vihaan Singh Shergill in Uri: The Surgical Strike , which is based on India’s retaliation to the 2016 Uri attack 
LOC: Kargil
A still from LOC: Kargil featuring Sanjay Kapoor as Major Deepak Rampal who fought in the 1999 Kargil War