Sriram Raghavan revealed he was unhappy with the disclaimer in Ikkis. He also talked about how Badlapur’s climax music video disrupted the film’s mood.
Months after Ikkis release, director Sriram Raghavan addressed the disclaimer that plays out even the end credits roll. He admitted that he was not happy with it.
For the unversed, the disclaimer at the end of Ikkis conveyed that the humane treatment of Pakistani Brigadier K.M. Nisar was considered an exceptional case. It suggested that, in general, the neighbouring country could not be trusted. According to the statement, Pakistani forces had subjected Indian soldiers and civilians to extreme cruelty and inhumanity, both during wartime and peacetime, and had repeatedly violated the Geneva Conventions through acts of torture. In light of Pakistan’s alleged sponsorship of terrorist activities, the disclaimer urged citizens to remain vigilant and prepared.
Raghavan told The Wire, “A lot of people have asked me about the disclaimer. So, I have decided not to talk about it. There were some givens for me from A, B, C.”
He recalled a similar situation during Varun Dhawan’s Badlapur (2015), where a music video was inserted at the end against his wishes. The film revolves around a grief-stricken man who goes on a revenge spree after his wife and son are killed during a bank robbery.
“There’s a music video in the end, which completely negates what the film is doing. It screwed up the mood of the film! It was inserted at the insistence of my producer,” he said.
Despite these disagreements, the filmmaker praised Vijan as a ‘superb guy’ who gave him the freedom to make his directorial film Ikkis and supported him immensely.
Sriram said, “Ikkis is also made by the same producer. He’s a superb guy; he let me make this film and helped me immensely. But the disclaimer was not something I was happy with personally.”
Ikkis is a biographical war drama on Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who at 21 fought heroically in the 1971 Battle of Basantar and was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra. The film also serves as the swan song of veteran star Dharmendra.
