2026 will begin on a patriotic and emotional note, thanks to Ikkis. It tells the story of Arun Khetarpal, who, at 21, became the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra for the bravery he showed during the 1971 India-Pakistan war. It was originally scheduled for a release on December 25 and was pushed to January 1. With the Christmas release in mind, the makers of Ikkis completed the censor process on time. In this article, Bollywood Hungama will exclusively focus on this aspect.
To begin with, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked the makers to suitably modify the opening disclaimer and include the acknowledgement for Poona Horse Regiment, Colonel Hanuth Singh and the tank crew. The same was also to be communicated in a voiceover. This was followed by photographs of warriors and an introductory voiceover about Arun’s tank crew.
In the end credits, the makers were also asked to add a text with a voiceover. They also suitably modified the credits and added a full iconic image of a Lt. General as per the suggestion of a defence expert.
Due to the genre and realism of the subject, the makers submitted a consent letter from a member of the Khetarpal family and also proper documents for scenes based on true events.
Now, coming to the cuts. In the second half of the film, the name of a tank was asked to be deleted. Lastly, a 15-second dialogue about India-Pakistan relations was asked to be deleted. The CBFC members also asked the makers to blur the alcohol brand name and add anti-smoking static.
Once these changes were made, Ikkis was passed with a U/A 13+ certificate on December 15. The length of the film, as mentioned on the censor certificate, is 147.15 minutes. In other words, Ikkis is 2 hours, 27 minutes and 15 seconds long.
Ikkis stars Agastya Nanda, Jaideep Ahlawat, newcomer Simar Bhatia and the late Dharmendra.
Also Read: “Ikkis is 100 times of what we see in the trailer”: Arun Khetarpal’s brother gets emotional after special screening
