The first Hindi release of 2026 hasn’t found the momentum it hoped for. Ikkis, the war drama marking Agastya Nanda’s big-screen debut and the late Dharmendra’s final appearance, hit a rough patch on its first Monday, struggling to stay afloat as Dhurandhar continues its iron grip on the box office.
Monday blues set in early
On Day 5, Ikkis witnessed its steepest fall so far, earning ₹1.35 crore at the domestic box office. The sharp drop pushed the film’s total India net collection to ₹21.5 crore, a worrying sign for a solo New Year release that arrived with strong emotional and historical weight behind it.
Despite decent weekend traction, the numbers suggest that audience interest tapered off quickly once the weekday grind began.
Day-wise performance so far
The film opened with promise but failed to maintain consistency:
- Day 1 (Thursday): ₹7 crore
- Day 2 (Friday): ₹3.5 crore
- Day 3 (Saturday): ₹4.65 crore
- Day 4 (Sunday): ₹5 crore
- Day 5 (Monday): ₹1.35 crore
Five days in, the downward trend has become hard to ignore.
Box office clash: No contest this time
While Ikkis struggled, Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar continued to flex its staying power. On the same Monday (Day 32), Ranveer Singh’s spy thriller earned around ₹4.5 crore, comfortably beating the combined collections of Ikkis and Kartik Aaryan–Ananya Panday’s Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri.
For context, the rom-com — now in its second week — added just ₹0.30 crore on its 12th day, taking its total to ₹32.3 crore.
Why Ikkis isn’t connecting
Directed by Sriram Raghavan, Ikkis tells the story of Param Vir Chakra awardee Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred during the 1971 India–Pakistan war. The film also features Jaideep Ahlawat, Sikander Kher, Vivaan Shah, and introduces Simar Bhatia to Hindi cinema.
While the subject carries immense patriotic and emotional value, early word suggests that the film’s execution hasn’t fully resonated with younger audiences — a crucial segment during holiday releases.
What lies ahead
With weekday collections dipping and no major surge in sight, Ikkis will need strong word of mouth to stabilise in the coming days. Otherwise, it risks being overshadowed entirely by Dhurandhar, which continues to dominate screens well into its fifth week.
For now, Ikkis remains a film driven more by sentiment than numbers — and whether that sentiment translates into a longer run remains to be seen.
