Key Takeaways:

• CBFC requested several changes to the war film, including deletion of a 15-second India-Pakistan dialogue under the Ikkis CBFC censorship process.
• Makers added acknowledgements for Poona Horse Regiment, Colonel Hanuth Singh and the tank crew, and provided family consent and supporting documents for true events.
• Other edits included blurring an alcohol brand, adding anti-smoking static and deleting a tank name; film secured U/A 13+ certificate.
• Ikkis, starring Agastya Nanda and Jaideep Ahlawat, runs 147 minutes 15 seconds and was moved from 25 December to 1 January release.

CBFC removes 15-second India-Pakistan dialogue from Ikkis

The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has required a number of edits to Ikkis, the forthcoming biographical war film about Param Vir Chakra recipient Arun Khetarpal, including the deletion of a 15-second dialogue referencing India-Pakistan relations. The film was certified with a U/A 13+ classification on 15 December after the makers implemented the requested changes.

Ikkis CBFC censorship and the requested changes

As part of the certification process, the CBFC asked the production team to revise the opening disclaimer and include an acknowledgement for the Poona Horse Regiment, Colonel Hanuth Singh and the tank crew, to be delivered in a voiceover. The board also required photographs of the warriors and an introductory voiceover about Arun Khetarpal’s tank crew to contextualise the narrative.

Producers were instructed to modify the end credits with additional text and a voiceover, and to add a full image of a lieutenant-general following advice from a defence expert. Because the film is drawn from real events, the makers submitted a consent letter from a member of the Khetarpal family and provided documentary material for scenes based on true incidents.

Cuts, blurring and certification

Among the cuts, the CBFC requested the removal of a tank’s name in the second half of the film and the deletion of a 15-second dialogue pertaining to India-Pakistan relations. The board also asked the makers to blur the visible alcohol brand name in one scene and to include anti-smoking static where applicable. Following these edits, Ikkis was passed with a U/A 13+ certificate; the censor certificate lists the running time as 147.15 minutes (2 hours, 27 minutes and 15 seconds).

The film, which tells the story of Arun Khetarpal who was awarded the Param Vir Chakra at the age of 21 for his actions during the 1971 India-Pakistan war, was originally scheduled for release on 25 December but was moved to 1 January. The cast includes Agastya Nanda, Jaideep Ahlawat, newcomer Simar Bhatia and the late Dharmendra.

The CBFC’s requested edits reflect the board’s attention to historical accuracy, sensitivities around India-Pakistan references and standard content controls such as tobacco and alcohol visibility. The production’s submission of family consent and supporting documents helped to expedite the certification once the required changes were completed.

With certification secured, the makers have signalled their intention to release the film at the start of the new year. Industry observers note that films based on military history often attract detailed scrutiny from certification authorities, who balance public interest in historical storytelling with considerations of national sensitivity and responsible depiction.

Ikkis will next appear on marketing schedules and box office calendars as it approaches its revised release date. Audiences and veterans’ groups are expected to follow screenings closely given the film’s subject and the prominence of the recognition it portrays.