Cast: Satinder Sartaj, Aditi Sharma, Mahabir Bhullar, and Raj Dhaliwal

Director: Pankaj Verma

Rating: ***

'Ikko-Mikke' marks the debut of the singing sensation Satinder Sartaj in the Punjabi industry, after his international debut in acting with 'The Black Prince'.

'Ikko Mikke' is the story of two youngsters who meet in college and fall in love. Nihaal (Satinder Sartaj) is a sculptor and Dimple (Aditi Sharma) is a theatre artist. Young love knows no bounds, so obviously when the two are met with opposition by both their families, they decide to elope. Both of them have career goals and don't know what married life has in store for them, but they resolve to make a happy life for themselves together. Nihal gets a job to fulfil his responsibilities as a husband and Dimple struggles at a new household. It is pretty relatable for a newlywed couple.

After the honeymoon phase is over, gradually the cracks in their relationship begin to show. Nothing big happens, but unhappiness starts seething in. Both are aware of the differences but are too proud to admit and address the elephant in the room. The film is a beautiful portrayal of how young couples, who are very much in love, often fail to understand the other's perspective. As time passes, both of them realize that though they are in love, the little differences have grown too big for either of them to be happy. They reconsider their decision of living together and opt for a divorce.


And this is the time for an enormous plot twist! And a pretty exciting one at that. Their souls get swapped and they fill each other's shoes, quite literally this time as they learn about life, relationships, and empathy. They realise that all the petty arguments that drove them apart were just that- petty.

Pankaj Verma surely knows how to portray young love troubled by family responsibilities and marred by career ambitions. He has brought an old school story to you, but the simple story is conveyed with precision and subtlety with a tinge of humour. Verma knew that the story would appeal to the masses. The intervention of parents in a young couple's married life, the influence of older siblings, all give shape to the story.

Sartaj and Aditi's chemistry bring freshness to the screen and there is no unnecessary drama. Aditi plays Dimple's character with conviction and Sartaj's lack of acting experience is evident and slightly off-putting. But his naivety and charm make you feel for the poor guy. What works in favour of the film is how relatable it is to the audiences. The younger audiences relate to the college scenes and the tiffs post-marriage click with couples. The supporting cast, too, has done a good job. Navdeep Kaler as Nihal's elder brother and Raj Dhaliwal as his sister-in-law are convincing. They might not have enough screen-time but they add meaning to the story. Although Mahabir Bhullar had a short but powerful role as the 'baba' who swaps their soul, the addition of a supernatural element to a romantic drama is outright bizarre and cringeworthy.

The music is obviously soulful and melodious, given that Sartaj is the singer and lyricist.

All in all, the film is a beautiful blend of college romance and the bittersweet tiffs after marriage. If you're a hopeless romantic, you shouldn't miss out on this flick.