# Ikka (film)
**Ikka** is a 2026 Hindi-language courtroom drama thriller directed by Siddharth P Malhotra, starring [Sunny Deol](https://www.edgepedia.org/sunny-deol) and [Akshaye Khanna](https://www.edgepedia.org/akshaye-khanna), and released on Netflix on July 10, 2026.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) Produced by Alchemy Films, it marks Deol's first Netflix film and his return to the courtroom genre more than three decades after *[Damini](https://www.edgepedia.org/damini)* (1993), and it reunites him on screen with Khanna 29 years after *Border* (1997).[2](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khanna-come-together-for-the-first-time-on-streaming-in-netflixs-high-stakes-courtroom-drama-ikka-premiering-july-10) • [3](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshaye-khanna-brings-that-rare-90s-kids-respect-for-sunny-deol-ikka-director-to-ndtv-11726134?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / producers | Siddharth P Malhotra; produced by Alchemy Films (Siddharth P Malhotra, Sapna Malhotra)[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) |
| Writers | Althea Kaushal, Mayank Tewari[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) |
| Lead cast | Sunny Deol as Arjun Mehra; Akshaye Khanna as Shauryaman Gaur; Tillotama Shome as Madhura Banerjee; Dia Mirza as Avantika[4](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khannas-first-netflix-collaboration-takes-them-into-a-high-stakes-courtroom-battle-as-the-trailer-of-ikka-is-unveiled) |
| Release | Netflix, July 10, 2026; runtime 2h 20m[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) |
| Significance | Sunny Deol's Netflix film debut and first on-screen reunion with Akshaye Khanna since *Border* (1997)[2](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khanna-come-together-for-the-first-time-on-streaming-in-netflixs-high-stakes-courtroom-drama-ikka-premiering-july-10) • [3](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshaye-khanna-brings-that-rare-90s-kids-respect-for-sunny-deol-ikka-director-to-ndtv-11726134?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories) |
| Production timeline | Netflix commission in September; Khanna signed in October; look tests and filming in November, wrapped in December in 30 shifts[5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/insight/exclusive-ikka-director-waited-10-years-to-mount-sunny-deol-akshaye-khanna-film-wrapped-filming-in-record-30-days) |
| Reception | 46% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer from 13 reviews[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and characters
The story centers on Arjun Mehra (Sunny Deol), a celebrated lawyer known for his unwavering principles and belief in justice, who is forced to defend Shauryaman Gaur (Akshaye Khanna), a man from his past, in a high-profile attempted murder case. Netflix's synopsis describes an attorney blackmailed into representing a criminal he previously put away, compelled to bend every legal rule to liberate his adversary while his morals, family, and convictions come under pressure.[4](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khannas-first-netflix-collaboration-takes-them-into-a-high-stakes-courtroom-battle-as-the-trailer-of-ikka-is-unveiled) • [1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) The Tribune notes that Mehra's reputation has earned him the nickname "Ikka," the ace no one expects to lose.[6](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/movie-review/ikka-a-strong-case-poorly-argued/)
As Madhura Banerjee, an unyielding public prosecutor, [Tillotama Shome](https://www.edgepedia.org/tillotama-shome)'s drive for justice sets her against one of India's most renowned lawyers, while [Dia Mirza](https://www.edgepedia.org/dia-mirza) takes the role of Avantika, Arjun's wife, who works to shield her family as the case's fallout touches every part of their lives.[4](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khannas-first-netflix-collaboration-takes-them-into-a-high-stakes-courtroom-battle-as-the-trailer-of-ikka-is-unveiled) The supporting cast includes Sanjeeda Shaikh, Shishir Sharma, Jyoti Mukerji, Vijay Vikram Singh, Daria Bedi, and Akansha Ranjan Kapoor.[7](https://www.netflix.com/st/title/82134666)
## Development and production
**A decade in development.** Malhotra received the script from writer Althea Kaushal around the time of his directorial debut *We Are Family* (2010), roughly ten or eleven years before *Ikka* was made. At that point Kaushal had been developing it for [Excel Entertainment](https://www.edgepedia.org/excel-entertainment), but it did not work out there. The script passed through [Karan Johar](https://www.edgepedia.org/karan-johar) and [Aditya Chopra](https://www.edgepedia.org/aditya-chopra), both of whom worked on it at different points and receive special thanks in the credits alongside Luv Ranjan, and it stalled repeatedly before Netflix commissioned it.[5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/insight/exclusive-ikka-director-waited-10-years-to-mount-sunny-deol-akshaye-khanna-film-wrapped-filming-in-record-30-days) Malhotra has said it was the first film he ever wanted to make and that it took more than nine years to find a backer who would let him make it his way.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/akshaye-khanna-on-dhurandhar-fandom-will-pass-siddharth-p-malhotra-ikka-10765934/)
**Casting.** Malhotra had narrated the film to Sunny Deol about a year and a half before production, on the set of *[Batwara 1947](https://www.edgepedia.org/batwara-1947)*, and Deol had liked it. After a separate Deol project with Netflix fell through, executives at the streamer asked Malhotra what else he had; Deol re-heard the script and agreed immediately. When Deol asked who would play Shauryaman, Malhotra named Akshaye Khanna, who read the script and agreed; the Indian Express interview dates Khanna's verbal commitment to September, with contracts signed in October.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/akshaye-khanna-on-dhurandhar-fandom-will-pass-siddharth-p-malhotra-ikka-10765934/) Malhotra said he had pursued Khanna for years, including for the series *Dial 100* and *Bestseller*, and that Netflix was initially unsure Khanna would agree.[9](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/hindi/2026/Jul/14/hindiinterviews2026jul13ikka-director-siddharth-p-malhotra-we-are-in-an-industry-where-everybody-wishes-ill-for-the-other)
**Shoot.** After look tests in November, filming ran through November and wrapped in December, completed in 30 shifts, which The Hollywood Reporter India described as a record-breaking turnaround for the production.[8](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/akshaye-khanna-on-dhurandhar-fandom-will-pass-siddharth-p-malhotra-ikka-10765934/) • [5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/insight/exclusive-ikka-director-waited-10-years-to-mount-sunny-deol-akshaye-khanna-film-wrapped-filming-in-record-30-days) Malhotra also held nightly edit screenings for the cast, a practice he said built complete trust between him and his actors.[10](https://www.indiatoday.in/entertainment/ott/story/exclusive-ikka-director-decodes-sunny-deol-akshaye-khannas-acting-process-on-set-2943319-2026-07-08)
## Release and promotion
Netflix released the trailer on June 28, 2026, describing a courtroom drama in which justice, family, and conviction collide.[4](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khannas-first-netflix-collaboration-takes-them-into-a-high-stakes-courtroom-battle-as-the-trailer-of-ikka-is-unveiled) The film premiered on Netflix on July 10, 2026, with audio tracks in Hindi, English, Portuguese (Brazil), Tamil, and Telugu.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) • [7](https://www.netflix.com/st/title/82134666) Khanna, who does not do promotional appearances, sent a recorded voice message to the trailer launch instead of attending in person.[4](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khannas-first-netflix-collaboration-takes-them-into-a-high-stakes-courtroom-battle-as-the-trailer-of-ikka-is-unveiled)
## Reception
Critical response was mixed to negative. On Rotten Tomatoes the film held a 46% Tomatometer from 13 reviews at the time of crawling.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) Shubhra Gupta of *The Indian Express* gave it 2/5, writing that it "cannot check its bent towards melodrama"; [Anupama Chopra](https://www.edgepedia.org/anupama-chopra) of *The Hollywood Reporter India* called it "not smart but twisty enough to keep you guessing"; Renuka Vyavahare of *The Times of India*, Titas Chowdhury of CNN-News18, and Archi Sengupta of LeisureByte each gave 2.5/5; and Christie Cronan of Common Sense Media gave 3/5, noting an "overly long 2 hour and 20-minute runtime."[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka) An India Today review judged the courtroom thriller dated and predictable, saying it felt at least two decades late to the genre.[11](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/ikka-review-sunny-deol-akshaye-khanna-courtroom-thriller-feels-dated-and-predictable-2944747-2026-07-10)
## References
1. [Ikka, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/ikka)
2. [Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna Come Together For the First Time on Streaming in Netflix's High-Stakes Courtroom Drama 'Ikka,' Premiering July 10, About Netflix](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khanna-come-together-for-the-first-time-on-streaming-in-netflixs-high-stakes-courtroom-drama-ikka-premiering-july-10)
3. [Akshaye Khanna brings that rare '90s kids respect for Sunny Deol: Ikka director to NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshaye-khanna-brings-that-rare-90s-kids-respect-for-sunny-deol-ikka-director-to-ndtv-11726134?pfrom=home-ndtv_topstories)
4. [Sunny Deol and Akshaye Khanna's First Netflix Collaboration Takes Them Into a High-Stakes Courtroom Battle as the Trailer of 'IKKA' is Unveiled, About Netflix](https://about.netflix.com/en/news/sunny-deol-and-akshaye-khannas-first-netflix-collaboration-takes-them-into-a-high-stakes-courtroom-battle-as-the-trailer-of-ikka-is-unveiled)
5. ['Ikka' Director Siddharth P. Malhotra on Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna Film, The Hollywood Reporter India](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/insight/exclusive-ikka-director-waited-10-years-to-mount-sunny-deol-akshaye-khanna-film-wrapped-filming-in-record-30-days)
6. ['Ikka': A strong case, poorly argued, The Tribune](https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/movie-review/ikka-a-strong-case-poorly-argued/)
7. [Ikka, Netflix official site](https://www.netflix.com/st/title/82134666)
8. ['Akshaye Khanna said Dhurandhar fandom too shall pass': Siddharth P Malhotra on Ikka, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/akshaye-khanna-on-dhurandhar-fandom-will-pass-siddharth-p-malhotra-ikka-10765934/)
9. [Ikka director Siddharth P Malhotra: We are in an industry where everybody wishes ill for the other, The New Indian Express](https://www.newindianexpress.com/amp/story/entertainment/hindi/2026/Jul/14/hindiinterviews2026jul13ikka-director-siddharth-p-malhotra-we-are-in-an-industry-where-everybody-wishes-ill-for-the-other)
10. [Exclusive: Ikka director decodes Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna's acting process on set, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/entertainment/ott/story/exclusive-ikka-director-decodes-sunny-deol-akshaye-khannas-acting-process-on-set-2943319-2026-07-08)
11. [Ikka review: Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna courtroom thriller is two decades late, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/reviews/story/ikka-review-sunny-deol-akshaye-khanna-courtroom-thriller-feels-dated-and-predictable-2944747-2026-07-10)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2020s › Hindi films of 2026*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license