"I wanted him to see the film in its entirety": 'Ikkis' director Sriram Raghavan remembers Dharmendra; Dinesh Vijan describes family's "heartbreaking" moment

By Nikita Bishay
New Delhi [India], December 23 : The legendary Dharmendra passed away last month, weeks before the release of his film 'Ikkis', leaving a deep void among his family, fans, and well-wishers.
As 'Ikkis' director Sriram Raghavan recalls, Dharmendra never got the chance to watch the film completed or the appreciation that his performance would have received; it won't be wrong to say that his absence will bring an added weight to 'Ikkis' - turning it into an emotional farewell to the icon.
Speaking to ANI, Sriram Raghavan opened up about Dharmendra's association with the upcoming war biopic, which features Agastya Nanda in the lead as Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal.
Recalling that Dharmendra was already unwell during the final dubbing sessions in October, Raghavan shared, "I met him in October. That time he was okay, but he was not too well. He did watch the first half and waited for the second half. I wanted him to see the film in its entirety. Somehow, that couldn't happen. He is not here to enjoy the work he had done, and people appreciate that. That is a regret we have."
In a few recollections, the 'Badlapur' director revealed how Dharmendra used to write dialogues in Urdu before the shoot.
"He's old school. He would write his dialogues in Urdu. And he would also write the core actor's dialogues. He was extremely well-prepared," he added.
Producer Dinesh Vijan mentioned that Dharmendra's family is yet to watch 'Ikkis'.
"I think they'll only cry. I just wish our kids could love us as much as they love him. It was heartbreaking to see them. But it was also beautiful. Because that's how you should love your father," Vijan told ANI.
Veteran star Dharmendra passed away on November 24 in Mumbai, leaving the Deol family deeply affected.
'Ikkis', which marks Dharmendra's posthumous screen appearance, is set to release on January 1, 2026.
Directed by Sriram Raghavan and produced by Dinesh Vijan, 'Ikkis' is a war biopic based on Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra.