Ikka Review: This Netflix courtroom thriller, directed by Siddharth P Malhotra, has been making quite the buzz over the past few months thanks to its heavyweight star cast and a compelling premise. Considering how frequent crimes against women have become as of late, the film comes at an important time wherein it has the opportunity to create an impact. Following a straight-arrow lawyer who is forced to take up the case of a man accused of rape and murder, the film highlights the desperation of a father who is forced to make impossible choices for his family.
As the characters face morally impossible situations one after another, the film holds a mirror to our justice system and showcases how easily justice can be bought by the rich and the powerful. These situations are built over the course of the film, and as more twists and turns are thrown in front of Arjun, he makes increasingly desperate decisions that fundamentally change who he is as a person and how people look at him.
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What is Ikka about?
The film follows an acclaimed lawyer who is forced to defend a murder accused from his past, leading to a tense courtroom battle filled with personal and moral conflicts.
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Who stars in Netflix’s Ikka?
The cast includes Sunny Deol, Akshaye Khanna, Dia Mirza, Tillotama Shome, Sanjeeda Shaikh, Shishir Sharma and Akansha Ranjan Kapoor.
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Is Ikka based on a true story?
No official information indicates that Ikka is based on real events. It is presented as a fictional courtroom thriller.
Ikka Review
A Story Built Around Impossible Choices
Netflix’s Ikka isn’t just the ace up Arjun’s sleeve in this Netflix courtroom drama film; it’s also Arjun himself – a lawyer who has spent decades building a sparkling reputation built around honesty and integrity. Thus, when an impossible situation forces him to defend Shauryaman Gaur, the bratty son of a rich politician, things quickly turn morally grey for him. Forced to save him from getting convicted for murder, Arjun has to overcome his own disgust for the situation to save someone he loves.
As the trial unfolds, the story weaves in and out of the nuances of the justice system, highlighting that merely being innocent isn’t enough when it comes to getting justice. Tillotama Shome’s Madhura desperately tries to nail Shaurya for his crime, but Arjun is far too smart and knows his way around her defence. It’s an interesting watch that, once again, reminds us that justice means nothing for those not in power and that we are at the mercy of people’s whims. The impossible choices that Arjun faces make us see him in a different light as he slowly goes from a beacon of integrity to someone willing to give up his virtues.
However, at the end of 140 minutes, viewers will find themselves questioning how the Ikka movie is different from the multitude of courtroom dramas that come out on different platforms these days. A few of the twists and turns are interesting, especially a few moments in the ending, but overall, there’s nothing that sets this movie apart from anything we have watched previously. From the reason for the crime to who the criminal is, everything is quite obvious from the start. And while the courtroom theatrics can be engaging, the film just isn’t fast-paced enough to leave viewers on edge.
Engaging Performances Across the Board
Despite the ups and downs, Ikka presents good performances from across the board. That’s mostly because they all have believable backstories that define why and how they behave and their decisions.
Sunny Deol’s Arjun Mehra, as the ace lawyer, is engaging and leaves viewers rooting for him. However, there are moments when the actor gets very hammy in his portrayal and gives off an odd “dhai kilo ka haath” vibe. The film, too, showcases him in this odd slow-motion at random moments, which isn’t quite necessary considering the “grounded lawyer” vibe his character seems to be going for.
Akshaye Khanna looks the part as the bankrupt Shauryaman Gaur but still looks like he’s stuck in his Dhurandhar stage. Sometimes it looks like Rahman Dakait has come to Mumbai to cause mayhem. While it’s understandable that his character is supposed to be the bad guy, it’s difficult to understand why he had to look like a Disney villain.
The rest of the cast, including Dia Mirza, Tillotama Shome and Sanjeeda Sheikh, are great, although Mirza and Sheikh don’t have a lot of screen time.
A Strong Premise That Takes Too Long to Reach Its Best Moments
At its core, Ikka tells an interesting story about institutional failures and the consequences of a broken system. The screenplay peels back layers to reveal motivations that add emotional weight to the story, but by the time the final twist comes around, the film loses interest as the justifications, reasoning, and the twist turn out to be obvious. While viewers are given an inkling about who could’ve attacked Soma Mittal from the get-go, I couldn’t help but wonder whether there’s something else that viewers will be made privy to in the end.
However, the film overstretches itself by a lot, and by the time we reach the end, the revelation of the mystery doesn’t have the same impact as you’d expect. This would’ve been an arresting and enjoyable watch had the film been a fast-paced and tight courtroom thriller, but it takes far too long to get to the point, and by then, most viewers will find themselves impatient and dissatisfied with the answers.
Final Verdict
Despite having an interesting and emotional premise and heavyweight performers, Ikka has nothing new to say. It plays it safe with both the crime, the reasoning, and the road to discovery and takes so long to get to the point that the payoff becomes secondary and unsatisfying. While I found the movie to have its moments, I don’t see the point of how it’s different in any way, so much so that viewers should spend 140 minutes watching it. If you enjoy courtroom dramas, this one is decent, but a tighter runtime would’ve been more compelling.
Ikka is streaming on Netflix right now. Let us know if you liked the movie in the comments below!
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