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Ikkis starring Dharmendra, Agastya Nanda and Jaideep Ahlawat to hit theatres on December 25

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Filmmaker Sriram Raghavan’s highly anticipated war drama, Ikkis, has completed filming and is now officially slated for a theatrical release on December 25, 2025. Produced by Dinesh Vijan under his banner Maddock Films, the movie is a biographical tribute to Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, India’s youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, who was martyred during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. The film, whose title Ikkis alludes to Khetarpal’s age at the time of his sacrifice, stars Agastya Nanda in his big-screen debut as the young war hero. Veteran actor Dharmendra plays a pivotal emotional role as Arun Khetarpal’s father, and the cast also features Jaideep Ahlawat and Sikandar Kher in key roles. Ikkis marks a significant departure for National Award-winning director Sriram Raghavan, known for his mastery of noir thrillers and crime dramas like Andhadhun and Badlapur. Raghavan described the project as a welcome break from his usual genre, focusing on an emotionally charged war story with impactful battle sequences. The film was first announced in 2019 with Varun Dhawan attached to the lead role, but delays caused by the pandemic led to a casting change before Agastya Nanda was finalized. The film’s recently released trailer has generated significant buzz across the industry, with critics and fellow actors praising its gripping narrative and Nanda’s performance. The story focuses on the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 war, where the young officer displayed extraordinary courage, refusing to abandon his tank despite being critically wounded and destroying several enemy vehicles. He was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra, India’s highest military honour. For Agastya Nanda, grandson of megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Ikkis serves as his first major theatrical release following his debut in the Netflix film The Archies. Industry pundits view this challenging role as a crucial opportunity for the young actor to establish himself. The film was initially scheduled for release on October 2, 2025, to coincide with Gandhi Jayanti. However, the makers at Maddock Films later confirmed a shift to a December 2025 window, positioning it as a major cinematic event for the end of the year. While the exact date within December is still awaiting official confirmation, industry speculation points towards a potential Christmas weekend release. Jointly backed by Maddock Films and Jio Studios, Ikkis promises to be a powerful and emotional tribute to a national hero who, as the film’s tagline suggests, will remain “forever twenty-one” in the annals of Indian military history. Also Read : When Arun Khetarpal’s father met the Pakistani soldier responsible for his son’s death.

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Santosh OTT premiere paused, director Sandhya Suri calls it “a real shame”

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Filmmaker Sandhya Suri has voiced strong disappointment after the last-minute decision to pause the digital premiere of her film Santosh in India, calling the move “a real shame”. The film set to debut on Lionsgate Play in India on Friday, October 17 was suddenly pulled. The delay follows persistent conflicts with India’s censorship system. Suri said, “The process in India is that the censor board (CBFC) may ask you to make cuts for a theatrical release. The cuts they asked for were not acceptable to me or my team. We could not make those cuts as they compromised the integrity of the film too profoundly.”She further insisted that her objections to mandated cuts for theatrical release remained the same for a streaming run and stated, “The objections I had to cuts for the theatrical release remain my objections for a streaming release. The streamers don’t need, by law, to have censorship status to show films. But perhaps this is about an environment in which streamers take on certain objections of their own accord for a harmonious universe.”Suri also flagged the unintended consequence of pulling the premiere: potential piracy. “It was announced and now we’re un-announcing, so a lot more people are going to watch it in some other form,” she remarked. “My wish is for the film to be distributed legitimately and uncut in India.”Santosh revolves around a widowed police constable, Santosh (played by Shahana Goswami), who steps into her late husband’s job and ends up investigating the murder of a young girl. Produced by Good Chaos with co-producers Razor Film and Haut et Court, it was backed by BFI and BBC Film. The film also represented the UK’s submission for the Best International Feature category at the 97th Academy Awards. Also Read : Santosh Release halted by CBFC over depiction of police brutality and caste issues; director Sandhya Suri REACTS!.

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Rajkumar Santoshi gets summoned on October 27 after Jamnagar Court dismisses his appeal in the Rs. 1 crore cheque bounce case

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Filmmaker Rajkumar Santoshi, known for directing acclaimed films such as Ghayal, Damini, and Andaz Apna Apna, has faced a major legal setback after the Jamnagar sessions court dismissed his appeal in a cheque-bouncing case. The ruling, delivered on Thursday, October 15, upheld an earlier order passed by the Special Negotiable Instruments Court in Jamnagar, which had convicted Santoshi for issuing cheques that were dishonoured. According to reports, the case stems from a loan of Rs. 1 crore that businessman Ashok Lal had allegedly lent to the filmmaker. To repay the borrowed amount, Santoshi issued post-dated cheques of Rs. 10 lakh each. However, when Lal presented the cheques for clearance, the bank reportedly returned them unpaid due to insufficient funds. Following the dishonour of the cheques, Lal approached the Special Negotiable Instruments Court, which ruled in his favour. The court convicted Santoshi under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, ordering him to repay double the cheque amount and sentencing him to two years of imprisonment. Challenging this order, Santoshi filed an appeal in the Jamnagar sessions court. However, after reviewing the evidence and the previous judgment, the sessions court dismissed his appeal and affirmed the lower court’s decision. In its directive, the sessions court has now instructed Rajkumar Santoshi to appear before it by October 27. The order further states that an arrest warrant will be issued if the filmmaker fails to comply within the given timeframe. The case adds to the list of legal troubles faced by Santoshi in recent years. The filmmaker, who has been a part of the Hindi film industry for over three decades, has yet to comment publicly on the court’s latest ruling. On the work front, Santoshi is currently completing work on Lahore 1947, produced by Aamir Khan, which also stars Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Sunny’s son Karan Deol, among others. With the sessions court’s decision reinforcing the earlier conviction, Rajkumar Santoshi’s legal options now appear limited, unless he seeks relief from a higher court before the stipulated deadline. Also Read: Producers put a ‘no-can-do’ clause in contracts regarding extra demands of stars: “If a star halts shoot to get a favourite ice-cream from the other end of town, he or she better pay for the ice-cream and the delay,” says Rajkumar Santoshi.