Sriram Raghavan on Agastya Nanda starrer Ikkis: “It was a break from the kind of movies I was doing”

Agastya Nanda, son of Shweta Bachchan Nanda and Nikhil Nanda and grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, made his acting debut in Zoya Akhtar’s musical The Archies. He stepped into the limelight with his debut as Archie Andrews alongside several newcomers. Now, he is prepping for Sriram Raghavan’s next Ikkis, based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal PVC. Raghavan, whose Merry Christmas was released in theatres on January 12, recently said that he totally connected with the story and that’s why he wanted it to be his next project.

Speaking to Indian Express, Raghavan said, “It is a story I really connected with and liked it. Parts of it are definitely very emotional. It also has battle sequences, action in the typical sense of the word. Hopefully, we have tried and done it differently. It is a war film, and it is a drama. It was a break from the kind of movies I was doing, and I wanted that, so that the next time I am doing a thriller, I feel fresh. That there is no baggage.”

Varun Dhawan was earlier a part of the project. However, there was a casting change after which Agastya Nanda was roped in. A source informed Bollywood Hungama in December 2022, “The age factor. The Param Vir Chakra-winning soldier Arun Khetarpal on whom the film is based died defending our country at 21. Varun is now 35. So chronologically they don’t match. When Ikkis was announced three years ago, Sriram thought he would pull it off with Varun. But now everyone felt the actor playing Arun Khetarpal must be younger. Agastya is just the right age to play Arun Khetarpal.”

For unversed, Arun Khetarpal was a Second Lieutenant in the Indian Army who posthumously received the Param Vir Chakra, India's highest military award, for his exemplary courage and sacrifice during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. A memorial named “Arun's Chowk” was built at the spot where he fought valiantly, and it stands as a tribute to his bravery. ALSO READ: Sriram Raghavan was reminded of Amitabh Bachchan from Saat Hindustani and Anand when he met Agastya Nanda for the first time for Ikkis: “He’s a guy who is refreshingly normal”