Sriram Raghavan Says He Was “Not Happy” With ‘Ikkis’ Disclaimer Calling Pakistan Untrustworthy

Sriram Raghavan’s “Ikkis” is one of the most prominent releases of the year, and one of the biggest talking points around the film has been its end disclaimer, which calls Pakistan untrustworthy a note that quickly became a subject of intense debate. In his latest comments, Raghavan has broken his silence on the issue, stating that he himself was not happy with the disclaimer.

In an interview with The Wire, Raghavan addressed the controversy, saying, “A lot of people have asked me about the disclaimer. So, I have decided not to talk about it. There were some givens for me from A, B, C.” He added that the best way to look at it is similar to the ambiguity of his earlier film Andhadhun: “Like in Andhadhun (2018), many wondered, ‘What happened in the end? Was he really blind or was he not?’ Likewise, in ‘Ikkis’, people can wonder, ‘Whether we put it or not?’”

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Raghavan went on to explain that some decisions are not entirely in his control, drawing a comparison to the ending of his film “Badlapur”. He said, “I don't know whether people who ask me about it have seen another film of mine, ‘Badlapur’ (2015). There’s a music video in the end, which completely negates what the film is doing. It screwed up the mood of the film! It was inserted at the insistence of my producer (Dinesh Vijan).

“‘Ikkis’ is also made by the same producer. He’s a superb guy; he let me make this film and helped me immensely. But the disclaimer was not something I was happy with personally.”

The disclaimer at the end of “Ikkis” reads: “The humane treatment of Pakistani Brigadier K.M. Nisar is an exceptional case. Otherwise, our neighbouring country is not at all trustworthy. Pakistani forces have treated our soldiers and civilians with extreme cruelty and inhumanity, both in war and peacetime. They have blatantly violated the Geneva Conventions by torturing them on numerous occasions. Given the terrorist activities sponsored by Pakistan, as concerned citizens, we need to remain vigilant and prepared.”