Raghavan Reveals Dharmendra’s Unseen Side In Ikkis

Mumbai: Legendary actor Dharmendra, who passed away at 89, gave his last performance in the film Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan. Raghavan, who grew up watching Dharmendra’s films, shared memories of working with him and called it a personal loss.

After the poster of Ikkis was unveiled, Raghavan said the team was overwhelmed by the love they received and the news of Dharmendra’s death later that day added to the emotion.

Dharmendra’s Work on ‘Ikkis’

Raghavan said, “He has an important role in the film and is wonderful in it. Once the camera switched on, a new energy came out of him. Even if he was tired, he gave his best.”

The movie is a tribute to Dharmendra and tells the story of Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra winner. Dharmendra plays the role of Khetarpal’s father, M L Khetarpal, while Agastya Nanda plays the young hero. Jaideep Ahlawat also stars in the film.

Working With Dharmendra

Raghavan recalled his first time working with Dharmendra in Johnny Gaddaar, saying the actor gave suggestions on dialogues and scenes. They often talked about old Bollywood films and his experiences with legendary directors like Bimal Roy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee.

Raghavan shared, “He loved films of the past and had so much to teach. He was fully on set, always engaged, and a joy to work with.”

Ikkis, produced by Dinesh Vijan under Maddock Films, is set to release in theatres on 25 December 2025

#Dharmendra #IkkisMovie #SriramRaghavan #BollywoodTribute #LegendaryActor #JohnnyGaddaar #AgastyaNanda #JaideepAhlawat #MaddockFilms #IndianCinema #ParamVirChakra #MovieNews #FilmTribute