You won’t believe what late superstar Dharmendra said earlier about his film Ikkis, ‘Filmon se bhi aage…’

Discover what legendary actor Dharmendra revealed about his last film Ikkis, featuring Agastya Anand, which has made its debut in theatres on 1 January, 2026.

The world of Bollywood recently lost one of its greatest icons. Dharmendra passed away on November 24, 2025, leaving fans and the film fraternity in mourning. His last film, Sriram Raghavan’s Ikkis, released on January 1, 2026, has since been receiving widespread attention. Amid this buzz, one of Dharmendra’s last interviews has resurfaced, in which he shared his thoughts about Ikkis, the film industry, and how cinema has evolved over the decades.

What did Dharmendra say?

In a heartfelt conversation with entrepreneur and philanthropist Usha Kakade on her podcast, Dharmendra encouraged everyone to watch his last film. Speaking in his signature style, he said, “Meri ek film aa rahi hai, Ikkis. Woh zaroor dekhiyega. Humaare Sriram (Raghavan) bahut achhe director hain. Inhone woh Johnny Gaddaar banayi thi. Yeh border ki picture hai. Lekin bahut touching bhi hai. Achhi, achhi, achhi film hai.”

The He-Man of Bollywood also reflected on how cinema has transformed since his early days. He noted how actors today perform naturally and how films portray reality more boldly than before, “Jitna badlaav is zamane mein aaya hai, log kehte hain filmon ki wajah se aaya hai. Hum dekhte hain zamana badalta jaa raha hai, woh filmon se bhi aage ho raha hai. Matlab bohot si aisi cheezin jo hum filmon mein maa-baap ke saath baithkar nahi dekh sakte hain. Aaj kal, they make it a very true picture, and they are very good actors, all of them; they play very naturally.”

About Ikkis

Ikkis, directed by Sriram Raghavan, is based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal and centers on the Battle of Basantar during the 1971 India-Pakistan War. The title, Ikkis, refers to Arun Khetarpal’s age when he became a martyr. Alongside Dharmendra, the film also stars Agastya Nanda. At the box office, Ikkis had a strong start, collecting Rs 7 crore on its opening day, followed by Rs 3.50 crore on the second day, bringing the total to Rs 10.50 crore after two days.