Agastya Nanda’s Ikkis pushed to Jan 1 to dodge Dhurandhar wave, avoid clash with Avatar Fire and Ash

Amid the unstoppable box office wave of Dhurandhar, which shows no signs of slowing down, the makers have shifted Ikkis’ release date to January 1, 2026.

Agastya Nanda in a still from Ikkis. (Photo: YouTube/Maddock Films)

The makers of Ikkis have postponed the release of the Agastya Nanda-starrer. The film was earlier slated to hit theatres on December 25. However, amid the unstoppable box office wave of Dhurandhar, which shows no signs of slowing down, the makers have shifted Ikkis’ release date to January 1, 2026.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh shared the update on social media and pointed out how producer Dinesh Vijan and his banner Maddock Films have previously benefited from strategic release-date shifts. He noted that Maddock had moved earlier films like Hindi Medium and Chhaava to avoid clashes with big-ticket releases such as Baahubali 2 and Pushpa 2, decisions that ultimately proved profitable.

He wrote, “DINESH VIJAN’S WISE MOVE – ‘IKKIS’ SHIFTS TO 1 JAN 2026… ⭐️ 2017: #HindiMedium smartly shifted to a later date once #Baahubali2 locked its release. ⭐️ 2024: #Chhaava avoided a direct clash with #Pushpa2 and moved to 2025. The postponement of #HindiMedium and #Chhaava worked to their advantage, with both eventually enjoying a clear run.”

#BreakingNews… DINESH VIJAN’S WISE MOVE – ‘IKKIS’ SHIFTS TO 1 JAN 2026…
⭐️ 2017: #HindiMedium smartly shifted to a later date once #Baahubali2 locked its release.
⭐️ 2024: #Chhaava avoided a direct clash with #Pushpa2 and moved to 2025.

The postponement of #HindiMedium and… pic.twitter.com/Oc1Ha9pZJn

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) December 17, 2025

Taran further added that apart from the fear of being overshadowed by the Dhurandhar wave, Ikkis was also facing stiff competition from the Hollywood giant Avatar, which is scheduled to release in India on December 19. He wrote, “#Dhurandhar is creating havoc at the boxoffice and shows no signs of slowing down… Plus, #Avatar – the #Hollywood giant – will have an extensive release in #India this Friday [19 Dec 2025]. Neither film is likely to surrender screens or prime shows during the #Christmas week.”

As per the update, Ikkis will now enjoy a solo theatrical release on January 1, 2026. Taran also announced that the film’s final trailer will be released on December 19.

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About Ikkis

Ikkis is directed by Sriram Raghavan and is based on the life of Param Vir Chakra awardee Arun Khetarpal, a hero of the Indo–Pakistani War of 1971. The film also marks the final on-screen appearance of late legendary actor Dharmendra and introduces Simar Bhatia, niece of Akshay Kumar, in her acting debut.

Dhurandhar box office run

After a strong opening, Dhurandhar has enjoyed an exceptional run at the box office, driven largely by positive word of mouth. The film has crossed the Rs 600 crore mark worldwide, with its domestic collection standing at Rs 422 crore within 13 days of release, as per Sacnilk.

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