Twenty One: The Truth of War and Human Emotions
Ikkis is a unique war film, which carves its own identity apart from sloganeering and grandiose action. This film depicts the reality of war calmly and sensitively. Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film is based on the true story of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetrapal, who at the age of just 21 made the supreme sacrifice for the country and became India’s youngest Param Vir Chakra winner. It is a war drama that makes you think more about bravery and survival than about fighting.
The biggest attraction of the film is that it does not present the war as a spectacle. There has been no attempt to incite politics or enmity in this. The story centers on what war takes away from humans and how life changes after that. This is why the film touches the heart.
Sriram Raghavan has presented the film’s story in two different time-frames. The first timeline takes us to the Battle of Basantar in 1971, where young Arun Khetrapal leads his tank regiment. The battle scenes are tense, but not showy. More than the battle, the responsibility, fear and courage of a young officer is depicted here.
Agastya Nanda has given an honest and balanced acting in the role of Arun. His performance does not seem artificial. Arun is shown as a passionate, disciplined and idealistic young man. His bravery is manifested not in speeches, but in his decisions. There is a scene in the film, where Arun gets orders to retreat, but he decides to leave his tank and continue firing, and this is what immortalises his bravery.
The second timeline takes us to 2001, which forms the emotional core of the film. Dharmendra, who is Arun’s father Brigadier M.L. He plays the role of Khetarpal, who is still living with the martyrdom of his son. He meets Brigadier Khawaja Mohammad Nasir, played by Jaideep Ahlawat. This part is not about fighting, but about memories, understanding and humanity. The scenes between Dharmendra and Ahlawat are the film’s strongest moments. Sitting together, visiting old places and standing in the grounds of Basantar and remembering that war, gives depth to the film.
Twenty One is Dharmendra’s last film, and he has left an indelible mark with his simplicity and honesty in it. Dharmendra’s performance is superb. A father who has lost his son makes us feel both pain and pride in his character. Every scene of his seems special and true. Jaideep Ahlawat’s acting is calm and impressive. Simar Bhatia is also making her debut in this film, although her screen-time is very less, but she manages to attract everyone’s attention with her acting.
From a technical point of view, Twenty One is a balanced film. We see a tank battle for the first time in Indian cinema, the VFX and battle scenes look real. Background music enhances the mood and emotions of the film. The dialogues are impressive.
It would not be wrong to say about this film made under the banner of Maddock Films that Twenty One is not the story of winning the war, but the story of the price that war exacts from humans. This film says a lot quietly and we will remember it all for a long time.
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Cast: Agastya Nanda, Dharmendra, Jaideep Ahlawat, Simar Bhatia
Writer: Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Pooja Ladha Surti
Duration: 143 minutes
Rating: 4
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