Sriram Raghavan: Casting Varun would mean we’re desperate for a star

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Many of us are still caught up in the world of Merry Christmas, revisiting the hints and movie references that Sriram Raghavan dropped along the way as he told the romantic thriller. But the filmmaker has moved on to the second schedule of Ikkis, which will be shot in Mumbai next month. Starring Dharmendra and Agastya Nanda, the film is based on the late Arun Khetarpal, who, at 21, became the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra for the valour he showed during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

While the director is looking forward to working with new blood Nanda, he believes Dharmendra is the most special part of Ikkis. "We shot a major chunk with Dharam sir last year. He told me, ‘I am getting old, you should do this quickly.' He doesn't have the physical tenacity of a young man, but emotionally, he beats everyone in terms of bringing that energy on set. I have finished his portions. He has only a song left, which we will shoot in this schedule," shares Raghavan.

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Ikkis was to mark Nanda's debut, but its extensive prep demanded time, and The Archies (2023) ended up becoming his maiden film. "I quite enjoyed watching him in The Archies, but Ikkis explores a different dimension of him. I am confident of Agastya in this film. He has been training hard for the past six months. He trained with officers in the NDA [National Defence Academy]. Training is integral to this film." The director adds that the crucial war sequences will be shot in the upcoming leg.

The biopic was originally announced in 2019 with Varun Dhawan, marking his reunion with the director after Badlapur (2015). What led to the change in casting? "Varun and I had a chat four years ago. We had to cast three [more] characters. The film didn't happen then. Now, Varun is in his 30s. The film is called Ikkis, and the age is integral to the story. Casting Varun now would mean that we are desperate to put a star in the film. Then, it no longer stays the story of that innocent boy who became a man in the course of the war."