Ikka Review: Akshaye Khanna Steals the Show Despite a Shitty Story

Spoiler Alert: This review contains major spoilers from Ikka, including important plot points, twists, and the ending. If you haven’t watched the movie yet and want to experience it without spoilers, please proceed at your own risk.

Part 1: The Beginning

The film begins with Shauryaman Gaur ( Played by Akshaye Khanna) spending the evening with a woman he meets at a club. Later that same night, the woman is found dead on the street, and Akshaye Khanna becomes the main suspect in her murder.

The story then introduces Arjun Mehra (Played by Sunny Deol), one of Mumbai’s most respected lawyers. He is known for taking up only the cases of innocent people and has never defended a criminal. He is proud of the principles he has followed throughout his career.

At the same time, Arjun Mehra’s daughter, Sameera, suddenly suffers a nosebleed during a swimming lesson. The doctors discover that she has advanced-stage cancer and urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. Unfortunately, neither Arjun Mehra nor his wife Avantika Mehra (played by Dia Mirza) is a matching donor.

The only person who can save Sameera is Shauryaman Gaur. It is then revealed that he is Sameera’s biological father. Shauryaman Gaur agrees to donate his bone marrow, but only if Arjun Mehra agrees to defend him in the murder case.

The case becomes even more important because Shauryaman Gaur is the son of a powerful politician, and with elections approaching, the trial attracts public and political attention.

Part 2: The Courtroom Battle

Shauryaman Gaur agrees to defend Arjun Mehra, even though doing so goes against the principles he has followed throughout his career. Opposing him is a fearless and outspoken Bengali public prosecutor Madhura Banerjee (played by Tillotama Shome), who is determined to prove that Shauryaman Gaur is guilty.

As the trial begins, almost every piece of evidence points towards Shauryaman Gaur. The DNA evidence, fingerprints, and other forensic findings make him look like the obvious murderer.

However, Arjun Mehra changes the direction of the case by arguing that the victim’s former boyfriend was extremely possessive. To support his argument, he presents the couple’s private chats in court, suggesting that the former boyfriend had a strong motive to commit the crime.

I personally found this part of the film unrealistic. The private chats are presented as major evidence without much explanation of how they were verified or admitted in court. Since digital chats can be edited, fabricated, or taken out of context, I expected the court to question their authenticity much more. The film oversimplifies this part of the legal process, making the courtroom drama feel less convincing.

At the same time, Arjun Mehra is fighting an emotional battle within himself. He knows he is compromising his own values to save his daughter’s life, while the victim’s family is also waiting for justice. This moral conflict adds emotional weight to the story.

The biggest highlight of this part is Akshaye Khanna’s performance. Every courtroom scene belongs to him. His calm expressions, confident body language, and subtle evil smile make his character incredibly compelling. He dominates every scene he appears in and delivers one of the strongest performances in the film.

Part 3: The Final Verdict

The final part of the film is largely a courtroom battle between the prosecution and the defence. Both sides present witnesses, challenge each other’s arguments, and try to prove their version of the truth. After a long legal fight, the court concludes that there isn’t enough evidence to convict Shauryaman Gaur, and he is acquitted.

As promised, Shauryaman Gaur donates his bone marrow, and the transplant is successfully completed. Sameera’s life is finally saved, and Arjun Mehra fulfils his responsibility as a father.

However, this was all part of Shauryaman Gaur’s master plan. He had carefully designed the entire situation so that Sunny Deol would be forced to defend him in court. His strategy worked, and he managed to walk free.

But the story doesn’t end there. Once Sameera is out of danger, Arjun Mehra does what he believes is right. He hands over all the evidence he has gathered against Shauryaman Gaur to the prosecution, proving that Akshaye was indeed the murderer. The police arrest him once again, and he is sent back to prison.

Unfortunately, I found the ending quite disappointing. The final twist feels rushed and lacks the emotional and dramatic impact that the rest of the courtroom battle tries to build. It wraps up too conveniently, making the climax less satisfying than expected.

Watch the trailer here