Dharmendra in his final interview requested everyone to watch Ikkis: ‘A very touching film’

Dharmendra passed away last year in November. (Photo: YouTube, Usha Kakade Productions.)

Veteran actor Dharmendra passed away late last year in November, leaving behind a void that the Indian film industry will take years to come to terms with. With a career spanning over six decades, he was not just a movie star but a presence that connected generations of audiences. From romantic dramas to action films, Dharmendra did it all, remaining relevant across changing eras of cinema. His final film, Ikkis, is currently playing in theatres.  Directed by Sriram Raghavan and co-starring Agastya Nanda and Jaideep Ahlawat, the film is based on the Indo-Pak war of 1971.

As Ikkis continues to receive glowing reviews from critics, a video from one of Dharmendra’s last interviews has gone viral on X (formerly Twitter). In the clip, the late actor is seen speaking warmly about the film and urging audiences to watch it. In the video, Dharmendra says, “One of my films, Ikkis, is releasing, do make sure you watch it. It has been directed by our Sriram. He is a very good director; he made Johnny Gaddaar. This is a border-based film, but it is also very touching and a very good film.”

In his final interview, #Dharmendra ji spoke about #Ikkis with pride and conviction.

It’s a brilliant film. Everyone should watch it.

Not just words this was the last message of a legend to cinema lovers. His voice may fade, but his legacy… pic.twitter.com/eRDsH0eFna

— Rahul Gupta (@RahulGupta25376) January 1, 2026

Just days earlier, Sunny Deol had shared a behind-the-scenes clip from the sets of Ikkis on Instagram. The video showed Dharmendra shooting for the war film and addressing the camera with quiet pride. He said, “The film has been made in a very nice way, and I think both India and Pakistan should see this picture.” In the same clip, Dharmendra spoke emotionally about the shoot coming to an end. “I am happily sad today on the last day of shooting. I love you all. If I have made any mistakes, please forgive me,” he said.

Ikkis was not the first collaboration between Sriram Raghavan and Dharmendra. The filmmaker had earlier worked with the legendary actor in his cult classic Johnny Gaddaar. While speaking at an event organised by the Screenwriters Association, Sriram once recalled an incident from the making of the film that highlighted Dharmendra’s deep understanding of character and storytelling. The moment in question was the interval scene, where Dharmendra’s character is killed by Neil Nitin Mukesh’s character. Originally, the scene was written as a stabbing. However, Dharmendra felt that it did not align with the personality of his character.

Sriram recalled, “On the day of the shoot, I was sitting with the knife. Dharam ji saw me and asked, ‘What is that?’ I told him, ‘This is the knife with which Neil is supposed to stab you.’ He asked if he could take a look.” After examining the knife, Dharmendra told him, “This is fine. I can die from this, but it would take me 15–20 minutes to die. In that time, I would kill him. Because I’m Dharmendra, I would kill him before that.” The remark left Sriram stunned. He repeated Dharmendra’s words to his director of photography (DOP), who agreed immediately, saying that the scene would look unrealistic on screen. Unsure how to resolve the issue,  Sriram took a short break, managed to arrange a gun, and ultimately re-shot the scene in a way that felt truthful to the character.