Who was Second Lt. Arun Khetarpal? Agastya Nanda brings the martyr's story alive in ‘Ikkis’

Directed by Sriram Raghavan, ‘Ikkis’ brings together Agastya Nanda, grandson of Amitabh Bachchan, along with the late Dharmendra and Jaideep Ahlawat. The release, first planned for December 25, 2025, has been shifted to January 1, 2026. In the film, Agastya portrays Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal. Here, take a look at the life story of Arun Khetarpal.

A young tank commander’s bravery

Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal was a young officer in the Indian Army who commanded a tank. He showed great courage and gave up his life during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. For his brave actions in the Battle of Basantar, he was awarded India's highest military honor, the Param Vir Chakra, after his death. In this battle, he destroyed several enemy tanks before he was killed at the age of 21.

Battle in Shakargarh sector

In the tough tank fight in the Shakargarh area, Khetarpal heard the call for help and took his team to face the stronger Pakistani army. He drove a Centurion tank named "Famagusta" and alone broke enemy spots while destroying many enemy tanks. He kept going, taking out more tanks even after hits, until his tank was hit again and he died, but he stopped the enemy attack. His courage got him the Param Vir Chakra and made him a big Indian hero whose story inspires people and led to the movie ‘Ikkis’.

From military family to hero

Khetarpal grew up in an army family. He studied at the Indian Military Academy and joined the 17th Poona Horse Regiment a few months before the war. He died on December 16, 1971, and became one of India's youngest brave heroes.

Themes of sacrifice in ‘Ikkis’

Ikkis tells the true story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, India's youngest Param Vir Chakra winner, played by Agastya Nanda. Dharmendra plays his father, with Jaideep Ahlawat. The movie shows ideas of sacrifice, duty, and the hard feelings young soldiers face in war.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”