There was a time when Bollywood excelled at crafting gripping murder mysteries that kept audiences hooked until the final reveal. From the cleverly constructed thrillers of Abbas-Mustan to classics like Gupt and Ittefaq, the excitement lay not only in discovering the killer but also in unraveling the chain of events behind the crime. Those films thrived on unpredictability. Today, however, audiences have been exposed to far more nuanced legal dramas and sophisticated crime thrillers, making Siddharth P. Malhotra's Ikka feel like a film that belongs to an earlier era.
The story begins on an engaging note. Soma (Akanksha Ranjan Kapoor) is shown spending an evening with Shauryaman (Akshaye Khanna), only to be thrown out of a speeding luxury car moments later. Critically injured and left by the roadside, the incident quickly spirals into a high-profile case involving power, privilege and political influence.
The narrative then introduces Arjun (Sunny Deol), a renowned defence lawyer whose strong moral convictions immediately evoke memories of his iconic role in Damini. During his opening statement in court, Arjun reflects on how social status and influence often shape the course of justice. He also addresses the widespread perception that defence lawyers merely represent clients for financial gain, arguing instead that they too have a responsibility to fight for the truth. One of the film's more striking observations is that law and justice are not always synonymous.
Running alongside the courtroom proceedings is Arjun's personal life. His daughter, an aspiring swimmer, suddenly suffers a nosebleed during an important selection trial. The moment a doctor reveals that she has a terminal illness requiring stem cells from one of her parents, the direction of the subplot becomes fairly predictable for anyone familiar with mainstream Bollywood storytelling.
Another curious aspect is Akshaye Khanna's casting as the reckless son of a powerful politician. His character is portrayed as a privileged man-child who spends his nights partying while his wife quietly waits for him at home. When Arjun is approached to defend him, he initially refuses because of unresolved issues from the past. However, circumstances surrounding his daughter's medical treatment eventually compel him to accept the case, setting up a courtroom conflict where personal history becomes as significant as the legal evidence.
One of the film's more interesting decisions is making Sunny Deol's character defend a man accused of rape. Yet, much like his character in Damini, Arjun refuses to allow the victim's character to be maligned in court. When one of the witnesses attempts exactly that, Deol slips into his trademark angry courtroom persona, delivering an emotional outburst that instantly recalls the larger-than-life performances of the 1990s.
Akshaye Khanna, meanwhile, appears to carry over much of his screen persona from Dhurandhar. The dark wardrobe, deliberate pauses, suspicious glances, slightly stooped posture and constant air of arrogance all closely resemble his earlier character. In one sequence, a background dancer even recreates his now-viral dance move, making it seem as though the filmmakers deliberately wanted to capitalise on the popularity of that performance.
Tilottama Shome enters midway through the film as Madhu Bose and briefly injects much-needed freshness into the proceedings. Appearing in court with her arm in a sling, she humorously remarks that she too possesses a "dhai kilo ka haath." Another emotionally effective moment arrives when Soma's mother (Jyoti Mukerjee) breaks down before Arjun, saying that no grief is greater than losing one's child. The scene subtly echoes the emotional burden Arjun himself carries throughout the case.
Unfortunately, the female characters are not given the same depth as their male counterparts. Although Tilottama Shome makes a strong impression in the courtroom, her domestic scenes reduce her to the familiar stereotype of a Bengali housewife, dressed in a saree, wearing shakha-pola and preparing breakfast for her unemployed husband. Sanjeeda Shaikh is left with very little to do, while Dia Mirza is largely confined to playing the caring mother and serving as the narrative link between the characters played by Akshaye Khanna and Sunny Deol.
As the film enters its final stretch, it continues piling on twists while repeatedly encouraging the audience to question everything they have seen. However, despite the screenplay's efforts to make each revelation feel like a major surprise, most of them are easy to anticipate well in advance. Even the climax, which clearly strives for a shocking conclusion, ultimately feels predictable.
Director Siddharth P. Malhotra attempts to incorporate several different genres into a single film. Ikka functions simultaneously as a courtroom drama, a murder mystery, a family emotional saga and a commentary on privilege and justice. While each of these elements has individual merit, they compete with one another instead of forming a cohesive whole. The narrative constantly shifts focus without fully committing to any one direction, leaving the overall experience feeling fragmented rather than compelling.
Much like its title, Ikka believes it holds the winning card until the very end. Unfortunately, by the time it reveals its final move, the audience has already anticipated it. Despite an accomplished cast and an intriguing premise, Siddharth P. Malhotra's thriller never fully realises its potential. What could have been an engrossing legal mystery ultimately unfolds as a familiar story with an ending that is far too easy to predict.
