Akshaye Khanna not returning for ‘Ikka 2’; Sunny Deol to reprise his role as lawyer Arjun Mehra: Report

Akshaye Khanna is reportedly not returning for the sequel to ‘Ikka’, with Sunny Deol set to reprise his role as criminal defence lawyer Arjun Mehra in the second instalment of Netflix’s courtroom drama.

According to a recent India Today report, work on the script for ‘Ikka 2’ has already begun, with the makers developing a new story centred on Deol’s character. The team is currently working on the film’s theme and screenplay, while production is expected to begin next year.

‘Ikka 2’ writing underway, Sunny Deol returns as Ikka

The makers of ‘Ikka’ have reportedly begun developing the second instalment, with Sunny Deol set to reprise his role as Arjun Mehra. However, the sequel will reportedly move in a new direction and will not continue the storyline of the first film.


The writing process is currently underway, with the makers working on the central theme and story. Production is expected to begin next year once the screenplay is finalised.

‘Ikka 2’ is therefore being planned as a fresh chapter in the franchise rather than a direct continuation of the first film’s narrative.

Akshaye Khanna not returning in ‘Ikka 2’

Akshaye Khanna’s absence will mark a major change for the franchise. The first film brought Khanna and Deol together nearly three decades after their memorable collaboration in ‘Border’, with their reunion becoming one of the talking points around the film.

In ‘Ikka’, Khanna played Shauryaman Gaur, the accused criminal at the centre of a high-stakes courtroom battle. While Deol’s character will remain central to the sequel, Khanna’s character will reportedly not return.

The makers are currently focused on developing the new storyline, with further details about the plot and cast expected as the project moves ahead.

What was ‘Ikka’ about?

Directed by Siddharth P. Malhotra, Netflix’s legal thriller ‘Ikka’ featured Sunny Deol as Arjun Mehra, a criminal defence lawyer caught in a moral dilemma. To protect his daughter, Arjun agrees to defend accused criminal Shauryaman Gaur, played by Akshaye Khanna, and uses his legal expertise to take on the prosecution while trying to uncover the truth.

The film also starred Tillotama Shome as Madhura Banerjee, Dia Mirza as Avantika Mehra, Sanjeeda Shaikh as Gauri Gaur, Shishir Sharma as Harshvardhan Gaur, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor as Soma Mittal and Daria Bedi as Samaira Mehra.

Sunny Deol’s packed lineup

‘Ikka 2’ adds to Sunny Deol’s already busy slate. After appearing in ‘Border 2’ earlier this year, the actor has several major projects lined up.

Deol will play Lord Hanuman in Nitesh Tiwari’s ‘Ramayana’. He is also part of ‘Antony’, a crime thriller set in Goa, in which he will reportedly play a police officer.

What’s next for Akshaye Khanna?

Akshaye Khanna, meanwhile, has a busy lineup of his own following the success of ‘Dhurandhar’.

The actor is set to play Shukracharya in ‘Mahakali’, which is part of filmmaker Prasanth Varma’s cinematic universe.