Just when you are expecting that IKKA will be bland and uninspiring in every way possible, this movie surprises you with its subtlety and measured pace. It seems to have aboard Bollywood's most seasoned performers is a great ploy as long as they are handled well and the story is told just right - this is exactly what
IKKA does! This is not a murder mystery that will make you share it on Instagram as a must-watch movie, but believe me, IKKA is a very watchable movie, and you will feel that the 2 hours invested in it were well spent. How does IKKA surprise? By choosing to be non-dramatic. There is no urgency to reveal the characters or a rushed sense of proceedings at the court. From Sunny Deol to Akshaye Khanna and Dia Mirza, every character comes through as realistic, very well rooted in their characters. The absurdity of old money preceding the law is indicated; the angst of having lost your girlfriend or fiancée is not highlighted, and the intent to kill is not described. The makers of IKKA leave all of these emotions and reasoning for the audience. The two best things the director does are not deciphering the inner turmoil while taking up a case where his gut feeling knows who the real culprit is and not explaining the medical condition of his child that coerces him to do so. Like I said, there is no masala or character-building exercise. When watching IKKA on Netflix India, you just know the how and what about every character so that you don't deviate from the spine of the story - does Sunny Paaji already know about what happened between the murdered girl and Akshaye Khanna?
There is no instance of the movie trying to preach. In a couple of shots, Akshaye Khanna seems to go overboard with his brooding presence, but it is beautifully balanced by Sunny Deol's maturity. Their verbal exchanges are not overcooked. They rarely try to discuss the issue, choosing to delve right into their present state of mind, where they just cannot tolerate each other. To be brutally honest, IKKA is not much of a murder mystery. Most of you would know what transpired before the 20 minutes of the content presents the answers to you. Still, IKKA is watchable because, with item songs, without a crowd of over-familiar supporting cast, and without trying to classroom our judicial system, IKKA is about laidback storytelling. I am not much of a Star or Colors TV series watcher, so Sanjeeda Sheikh was a pleasant surprise - how come this lady gets so few opportunities despite performing reasonably well and looking glamorous effortlessly at the same time?
Ditch the reviewer ratings.
IKKA starts off slow but builds up nicely.
Ditch the critics' ratings.
IKKA is not a Sherlock mystery - stay real!
Don't associate the chosen cast as being the second-tier choice.
IKKA does well to cast seasoned performers in roles they fit in well.
