Filmmaker Siddharth P Malhotra has revealed that Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna were always his top choices for the upcoming courtroom thriller ‘Ikka’. Deol agreed to join the project after being won over by the script, while Khanna was so captivated that he finished reading it in one sitting before giving his consent.
A Reunion 30 Years in the Making
Director Siddharth has crafted a gripping courtroom drama for Netflix’s ‘Ikka’, featuring two of Bollywood’s most powerful actors. This project brings Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna together for the first time in nearly 30 years, since their iconic film ‘Border’ (1997). The timing proved ideal: Deol had recently expanded his fanbase with ‘Gadar 2: The Katha Continues’ (2023) and ‘Border 2’, while Khanna was earning widespread acclaim for ‘Dhurandhar’ (2025). “They were simply the right actors for the story,” Malhotra shared.
Siddharth P Malhotra Had Approached Deol a Year and a Half Earlier
Malhotra revealed that he first discussed the project with Sunny Deol approximately 18 months before it materialized. As reported in Mid-day, he said, “I told Sunny Sir this is a script I want him to do and he liked it. When [the platform] came on board and heard the script, I went back to him and he said, ‘Great, let’s do this’.” When it came to selecting the perfect adversary for Deol in the courtroom, Malhotra had no hesitation. “They asked me who I wanted for the antagonist and I said Akshaye Khanna,” he explained.
Siddharth P Malhotra on the Blurring Lines of Right and Wrong in ‘Ikka’
In ‘Ikka’, Deol portrays a highly respected lawyer who finds himself in an uncomfortable position: defending the very man he once helped convict. This ethical dilemma is what initially drew Malhotra to the story. “The challenge of the script itself is the character’s moral dilemma. The lines between right and wrong and their perspectives are blurring. That’s what makes it interesting for me as a storyteller,” he said.
Breaking Sunny Deol’s Good Guy Mold
Malhotra made a deliberate choice to move away from Deol’s image as an invincible hero. “I’ve seen him in Damini [1993]. Why do I have to give people Damini again? It’s fun to see him be emotionally correct even if he’s morally incorrect,” he remarked with a smile.
‘Ikka’ OTT Release Date
‘Ikka’ is set to stream on Netflix starting July 10.
