I have become wary of Hindi war films because of the chest beating and outright support for war. Of course, it is brave what our defense forces do for us. But the fact that we should seek violence and be proud of how many we have killed makes me uncomfortable. And most Hindi war films praise ‘josh’ and see jingoistic fervor as one of the main virtues of one’s value system. So it was comforting to have an officer on Ikkis Ask a new soldier to temper that enthusiasm. That and other pushes to curb sensationalism are victories for me.
However, what the other actors lack is made up for by Jaideep Ahlawat’s presence and Sikander Kher’s timing.
Does that mean Ikkis What is a well made movie? Not at all. First of all, of course, it is necessary to try to express “the necessity of war in the face of its futility”, “we are all human” and “the earth is the earth.” This should not need any more applause, but it is a brave stance in the nationalistic environment the world is going through.
It also has some witty, insightful and moving dialogue with great delivery from the supporting cast. I also quite enjoyed the character of Kiran Kochar (Simar Bhatia), a woman who expresses her agency and calls out the insensitivity of a man, especially a soldier, something quite profound for a Hindi film, let alone a war film. That Ikkis It even shows the soldier’s dilemma and that he is not the perfect person and sparks interest in the character. But…
Yes, there is a but. In fact, many. Simar Bhatia is not the best actor on the block. Many times he felt like he was reading the lines instead of owning them. Furthermore, her scenes with her boyfriend, Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal (Agastya Nanda), are perfunctory and lack sparkle.
Agastya Nanda also doesn’t have much variation in his expression or body language as he goes from disappointment to happiness to fervor. Maybe they still have to grow as actors. On the other hand, the veteran also struggles with his lines. It is admirable that Dharmendra continued to work well into his eighties. But that doesn’t stop his performance from being jarring.
What they lack, however, is made up for by the presence of Jaideep Ahlawat through his character, the sincerity of Brigadier Jaan Mohammad Nisar and the timing of Sikander Kher in expressing the casual yet firm demeanor of Risaldar Sagat Singh.
Other than that, there’s nothing too spectacular about the war scenes. There is nothing to complain about either. In fact, the narrative is based on the real-life story itself. And towards that end, Ikkis It is a film one should watch even if it is on OTT.
– Meeta, a part of the audience.
