Dhurandhar Box Office Impact: Agastya Nanda–Dharmendra’s Ikkis Postponed, New Release Date Announced | Movies News
New Delhi: The release of Agastya Nanda and Dharmendra’s upcoming film Ikkis has been postponed amid the massive box office run of Dhurandhar. Originally slated to hit cinemas on December 25, 2025, the film will now release on January 1, 2026.
Announcing the new date on X (formerly Twitter), the makers wrote, “The true story of India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra awardee, Second Lt. Arun Khetarpal. Some heroes die young. Experience courage in cinemas. #Ikkis releasing on 1st January 2026.”
They added, “This New Year, gift yourself courage.”
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The makers also confirmed that the final trailer of Ikkis will drop this weekend in theatres, marking a new chapter for filmmaker Sriram Raghavan, who is helming his first war film.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh weighed in on the postponement, calling it a strategic and wise decision by the producers. Sharing his thoughts on social media, Adarsh wrote, “Dinesh Vijan’s wise move — ‘Ikkis’ shifts to 1 Jan 2026. In 2017, Hindi Medium smartly shifted its release once Baahubali 2 locked its date. In 2024, Chhaava avoided a direct clash with Pushpa 2 by moving to 2025. Both decisions worked in their favour, allowing the films a clear theatrical run.”
#BreakingNews… DINESH VIJAN’S WISE MOVE – ‘IKKIS’ SHIFTS TO 1 JAN 2026…
2017: #HindiMedium smartly shifted to a later date once #Baahubali2 locked its release.
2024: #Chhaava avoided a direct clash with #Pushpa2 and moved to 2025.The postponement of #HindiMedium and… pic.twitter.com/Oc1Ha9pZJn
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) December 17, 2025
The decision comes as the Christmas 2025 box office window looks extremely competitive. Dhurandhar continues to dominate the domestic market with no signs of slowing down, while James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to release in India on December 19, 2025, expected to occupy a large number of screens and prime shows nationwide.
Explaining the scenario, Adarsh noted, “#Dhurandhar is creating havoc at the box office and shows no signs of slowing down. Plus, #Avatar — the Hollywood giant — will have an extensive release in India this Friday [19 Dec 2025]. Neither film is likely to surrender screens or prime shows during the Christmas week.”
The postponement of Ikkis is therefore being attributed to the combined box office storm of Dhurandhar and the arrival of Avatar: Fire and Ash. The film’s final trailer is scheduled for release on December 19.
Directed by Sriram Raghavan, Ikkis is based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of India’s Param Vir Chakra, awarded posthumously for his bravery during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. The film stars Agastya Nanda in the lead role and marks the final screen appearance of veteran actor Dharmendra. Simar Bhatia, niece of Akshay Kumar, also makes her Bollywood debut with the film.
