Siddharth P Malhotra Reveals How Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna Reunited in 'Ikka' After 27 Years

"This is literally God's plan": Siddharth P Malhotra opens up on bringing Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna together in 'Ikka'

Mumbai, June 26

Speaking to ANI, Malhotra recalled the long and uncertain journey of the film, saying it was the very first script he had ever wanted to make. "It was my struggle that whenever someone came to me and asked if I had a script, I would say yes, I have 'Ikka'. Read 'Ikka'. And they would like it after reading it," he said, adding that the project came close to going on floors several times over the years but was derailed by issues ranging from casting to commercial viability.

In between, Siddharth went on to direct 'We Are Family', 'Hichki', which itself took seven years to materialise, and 'Maharaj'. It was only after another project with Sunny Deol for Netflix did not take off that 'Ikka' resurfaced. "The Netflix people asked me if I had something. I said I have 'Ikka' again, listen to it... I said I have been hearing this from many people for 9 years. Do you want to do it or not? They said yes, we want to do it," Malhotra said.

He revealed he had already narrated the script to Sunny Deol a year and a half earlier on the sets of 'Batwara', and that Deol immediately asked who would play the role of Shauryaman. "I said, sir, I want Akshaye Khanna to do it. He said, will he do it? I said I don't know, we'll hear a no, but let's go and ask," Malhotra recounted. According to him, Akshaye Khanna agreed within two days of hearing the narration, and the contract was signed the same week , with look tests beginning in October and the film shot through November and December.

On comparisons with the 1993 courtroom classic 'Damini', in which Sunny had also played a lawyer, Malhotra was clear that 'Ikka' takes a different approach. He pointed out that Damini's courtroom portions run for barely the last fifteen to twenty minutes of that film, whereas 'Ikka' is "a proper courtroom drama" that begins almost from the film's opening act and follows lawyer Arjun Mehra's personal journey as he is drawn into a case he initially resists.

The director also promised fans a different shade of Deol in the film. "You will get a broken Sunny Deol. You will get the Sunny Deol of 'Ghayal'. That person who also cries, who also says under compulsion why am I doing this, I shouldn't be doing this," Malhotra said, adding that the actor's trademark high-decibel dialogue delivery would feature only "two or three times in the whole film" rather than throughout.

On the reunion of Deol and Khanna after their 1997 film 'Border', Siddharth called it serendipitous. "It's a coincidence that I brought them together, I don't know either. This is literally God's plan," he said, adding that ensuring their shared scenes carried weight was a priority for the whole team given the stature of both actors.

Asked whether 'Ikka' could become a franchise, Malhotra said the intent is very much there. "The effort is that 'Ikka 2', 'Ikka 3', 'Ikka 4' should all be made because 'Ikka' is the lawyer's name... he is called 'Ikka' in the law space because he always throws the ace of spades(Hukum ka Ikka)," he explained, noting that while no new story has been finalised yet, the makers and Netflix remain open to taking the franchise forward.

The film is directed by Siddharth P Malhotra and stars Sanjeeda Shaikh, Shishir Sharma, and Akansha Ranjan in prominent roles.

Ikka' explores the consequences of difficult choices and the complexities surrounding justice. The film is positioned as a character-driven thriller that extends its tension beyond the courtroom. Written by Althea Kaushal and Mayank Tewari, 'Ikka' is produced by Siddharth P Malhotra and Sapna Malhotra under the banner of Alchemy Films.

With themes of loyalty, accountability and sacrifice at its core, 'Ikka' will premiere exclusively on Netflix on July 10.

— ANI