Ikkis, the first Hindi release of 2026, opened to a stronger-than-expected start at the Indian box office on Thursday. The film collected an estimated ₹7 crore net on Day 1, according to early trade figures.
Agastya Nanda plays his first major part in the war drama, which is directed by Sriram Raghavan. After a brief postponement, the movie premiered on January 1, 2026, while high-profile films like Dhurandhar were still dominating theatres.
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Despite this, Ikkis sustained consistent attendance, especially during evening and night screenings, and earned a broad release across around 4,000 screens worldwide.
Occupancy strongest in metro cities, night shows lead
Trade tracking shows Ikkis recorded an average occupancy of around 32% on its opening day. Night shows performed better, with seat occupancy nearing 50% in several centres.
Delhi-NCR reported close to 40% occupancy across more than 600 shows.
Mumbai averaged around 30% occupancy across 430 shows.
Cities such as Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Lucknow posted moderate turnout.
Surat remained the weakest market, with occupancy below 10% despite over 180 shows.
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While the film did not cross the ₹10 crore mark, the opening is considered stable for a war drama without mass-market packaging. Trade analysts say the weekend trend, especially in urban centres, will determine whether the film sustains momentum.
About the film
Ikkis is based on the life of Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, the youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, who was killed during the 1971 India–Pakistan war. Agastya Nanda plays Khetarpal, while Dharmendra appears as his father in one of his final screen roles.
The film also features Jaideep Ahlawat, Deepak Dobriyal and Asrani.
