Top Qs
Timeline
Chat
Perspective
Kesari Chapter 2
2025 Indian film by Karan Singh Tyagi From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remove ads
Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language historical courtroom drama film directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and produced by Dharma Productions, Leo Media Collective, and Cape of Good Films.[8][9] A spiritual sequel to the historical action film Kesari (2019), the plot is based on the book The Case That Shook The Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, which is centered around C. Sankaran Nair and the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.[10] The film stars Akshay Kumar as Nair alongside R. Madhavan and Ananya Panday.[11][12]
Kesari Chapter 2 was released on 18 April 2025, coinciding with the 106th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The film received negative reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office.[13][14]
Remove ads
Plot
 | This article's plot summary needs to be improved. (May 2025) |
The film begins with the portrayal of an Indian historical event, The Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Brigadier-general Reginald Dyer commands his forces to shoot at the crowd of Punjabi rebels at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. Hundreds get murdered, but a teenage revolutionary named Pargat Singh, who was among the few survivors, escapes. Pargat loses his mother and younger sister in the massacre. Reports about the truth in newspapers, especially in the Punjab Samachar, are ignited and destroyed by the British. The government declared that the victims were rebels who were breaking British laws and against whom necessary steps were taken. It also declared that the rebels were armed and even attacked the army back. However, mysteriously, not a single soldier of the army died. The film then introduces C. Sankaran Nair, a distinguished Indian barrister and member of the Viceroy's Council who is presented with the Rank, Knight, by the British Crown. He learnt about and even visited Pargat Singh, whom he advised to go to school and quit revolting. Before long, Pargat apparently committed suicide. Nair was initially tasked by the British colonial government, who expected a report in their favor, with investigating the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar. He was informed about the truth of the massacre by determined law student Dilreet Gill, who had somehow retrieved a final issue of the Punjab Samachar, which had the truth printed. As Nair uncovered the truth of the massacre and General Dyer's role in ordering it, he noted General Dyer as guilty at the Viceroy's Council. But his protest fell at deaf ears. He was even warned to not challenge the powerful British Crown. Nair was convinced by Gill that he himself had been responsible for the Pargat's death and his conscience drives him to sue the colonial government and Dyer for genocide. Aided by Gill, Nair faces off General Dyer and his lawyer, and secures victory. However, the case only commences as it is taken to the Trial Court. The lawyer who lost is unemployed by Dyer. In a discussion with fellow members, Dyer considers murdering Nair, however is advised against it since Nair was a renowned English Knight, which was a considerable powerful rank. Dyer appoints Neville McKinley, a jaded Anglo-Indian lawyer with a personal vendetta, for the Trial in order to defend the colonial government. An intense courtroom battle follows, and a music teacher Martha Stevens is brought in as a witness, who reports a brutal rape on her. When Nair tries to defend, he gains mass displeasure for defending a rapist. However, Nair and Gill gather proof against this allegation. At the courtroom, Gill manipulates Stevens into confessing her love for the "rapist" and that the rapist had not raped her at all. Instead, the man was convicted for sharing romantic interests with his teacher, and Stevens was made to swear that if she lied, the man would be acquitted. Nair secures victory yet again as he rage-baits General Dyer into almost confessing his own guilt. However, as a masterstroke played by McKinley, Nair is convicted for dealing with the colonial government's personal files and folders (which was, in reality, an act to search for evidence). Nair was sentenced to seclusion, which covered the court-time and resulted in the judge's decision. The government was acquitted. Nair and Gill loses all hope and Nair returns home with his wife, where he receives a letter from imprisoned rebel Kripal Singh (Pargat's father). Nair is informed that Pargat had not committed suicide but was instead murdered by British officials. Nair, driven with repent and rage, fetches Gill straight out from a date to challenge the court's original decision. However, his case is not sustained. Nair calculatedly uses foul language, which violated the Contempt of Court order, and he is sent to higher authorities. Dyer ridicules him for apparently digging his own grave, while McKinley suggests to bring the entire media to report Nair's trial, which will humiliate him. At the Trial, Nair proves that the jury was not unanimous in its decision of acquitting the government. He fetches one of the three members (the other two were bribed against testimony) who provides evidence. Though Nair debarred from practicing law again, the truth is exposed through media manipulation, while Nair's pursuit of justice sparks a surge of patriotic resistance.
Remove ads
Cast
- Akshay Kumar as Justice Chettoor Sankaran Nair[8]
- R. Madhavan as Adv. Neville McKinley[8]
- Ananya Panday as Dilreet Gill[15]
- Regena Cassandrra as Parvathy Nair, Sankaran's wife
- Simon Paisley Day as Reginald Dyer
- Alexx O'Nell as Lord Chelmsford
- Amit Sial as Tirath Singh
- Deepak Antani as Mahatma Gandhi
- Mark Bennington as Michael O'Dwyer
- Sammy Jonas Heaney as Harold Laski
- Steven Hartley as Judge McCardie
- Krish Rao as Pargat Singh
- Rohan Verma as Jaan Nisar
- Alexandra Moloney as Martha Stevens
- Jaipreet Singh as Kirpal Singh
- Luke Kenny as Appeal Court Judge
- Atul Kumar as Crown's lawyer
- Masaba Gupta as a dancer in the song "Khumaari" (special appearance)
Remove ads
Production
Summarize
Perspective
Development
The film was initially titled Shankara,[16] before being renamed Kesari Chapter 2 in February 2025[17][18] to establish a thematic link with Kesari (2019).[11] It was officially announced by Karan Johar on 22 March 2025.[9] It is based on the life of C. Sankaran Nair, an Indian lawyer and statesman who fought against the British Raj to uncover the truth about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the 1919 massacre of Indian protesters in Amritsar by General Dyer. Advocate Neville McKinley was a fictional character that was an amalgamation of ten different historical figures.[19][20]
Casting
Akshay Kumar was cast as C. Sankaran Nair, a lawyer and statesman who was also a member of the Viceroy's Executive Council.[21] Regina Cassandra was cast opposite Kumar, marking their first project.[22] Ananya Panday and R. Madhavan was also cast for important roles.[23][24]
Filming
The film's shooting began in November 2022 with Akshay Kumar, with Madhavan joining in January 2023, and later moved to mid-2023 in Mumbai where a large set of Jallianwala Bagh was constructed.[25] Later, some important sequences which included Kumar and Panday were shot in IIT Roorkee.[26] The next schedule was held in Alibag.[27] Some portion of the film was also shot in Rewari Junction railway station and Rewari Railway Heritage Museum and in parts of Delhi including Red Fort, Sunder Nursery and Delhi University north campus area.[28] The shooting was wrapped up by September 2024.[29]
Soundtrack
Summarize
Perspective
The film's soundtrack is composed by Shashwat Sachdev and Kavita Seth–Kanishk Seth, with the lyrics written by Irshad Kamil. The first single titled "O Shera – Teer Te Taj", composed by Sangtar, was released on 12 April 2025.[30] The song was recreated from a 2020 song "Teer Te Taj" which was released during the 2020–2021 Indian farmers' protest.[31] The second single titled "Kithe Gaya Tu Saaiyaan" was released on 14 April 2025.
Remove ads
Marketing
The teaser was released on 24 March 2025, and the trailer was released on 3 April 2025.[32][33][1] The trailer launch event was held on 3 April 2025 in Delhi.[34]
Release
Theatres
The film was first scheduled to be released 14 March 2025, but was delayed until 18 April 2025.[35] The Telugu dubbed version released 23 May 2025.[36]
Home media
The digital streaming rights were acquired by JioHotstar.[37] The film began streaming on the platform from 13 June 2025.[38]
Reception
Summarize
Perspective
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 39% of 18 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.2/10.[39] Bollywood Hungama rated the film 3.5/5 noting, "On the whole, KESARI CHAPTER 2 is a hard-hitting courtroom drama and works due to the performances and treatment and also because it tells an untold and shocking chapter of Indian history. At the box office, it will need a strong word of mouth to sustain and emerge as a profitable venture. The adults only rating might restrict its business to some extent."[40] Rishi Jogani in his review for Pinkvilla wrote, "Kesari Chapter 2 is a must-watch for its gripping courtroom drama, stellar performances, and unflinching portrayal of a dark chapter in history. While the film’s commercial aspects like the loud score often detract from the movie's groundedness, its powerful second half, soulful music, and exceptional performances make it a compelling experience."[41]
Vineeta Kumar of India Today rated the film 3.5/5 noting, "Kesari Chapter 2 doesn't entirely rely on a chest-thumping, bulldozed sense of patriotism to win the audience's hearts - there is that hard-to-forget use of the F-word in an open court, and an elaborate dialogue explaining Hindu-Muslim unity. It unapologetically adds a bit of creative swag, and lets you be a part of the drama."[42] Lachmi Deb Roy of Firstpost rated the film 4/5 calling it "a powerful and immensely engaging movie based on the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre and the fearless lawyer, Shankaran Nair (Akshay Kumar) who shook the foundation of the British Empire".[43] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rated the film 2.5/5 mentioning it as a film of its time, for its time, with dollops of patriotic fervour.[44] Anuj Kumar of The Hindu was critical of the film writing, "It seems that after playing with ancient history, the big boys of Bollywood are meddling with modern history. While the dastardly act of the Empire needs to be exposed, the film, produced by Dharma Productions, milks the sacrifice of martyrs in Jallianwala Bagh to create a trumped-up narrative around the tragic episode. The disclaimer says it is a piece of fiction, but, as it turns out, it uses real incidents and characters to distort well-documented historical incidents that are easily available at the press of a button."[45]
Writing for The Hindustan Times, Rishabh Suri rated the film 4/5, praising the writing and Akshay Kumar's performance.[46] Uday Bhatia of Mint gave a negative review writing, "As with Dharma’s other recent historical, Ae Watan Mere Watan (2024), this is a case of Hindi filmmakers being unable to recognise surefire material when they see it, and burying it under piles of nonsense. Nair’s actual journey is fascinating, criticising Gandhi, returning his decorations by the British, fighting a very public case on their soil. But Kesari 2 is interested in Nair only to the extent that he provides a broad outline for Kumar to shout and weep and proclaim his love for India."[47] Titas Chowdhury of News18 rated the film 3.5/5 writing, "Akshay Kumar sheds off his aura as a superstar and chooses to lean on his acting prowess, taking it a notch higher than Sarfira."[48]
Remove ads
Controversy
Poet and YouTuber Yahya Bootwala accused the makers of the film of plagiarizing his poem for scene which Dilreet Gill's speech on Jallianwala Bagh massacre allegedly lifted.[49][50] in June 2025, FIR case filled by Ranajit Biswas against makers for alleged insult Bengal Freedom fighters.[51][52]
Sequel
A sequel, titled Kesari Chapter 3, was confirmed by Akshay Kumar and Deepak Rao Capour in April 2025, which would be based on the life of Hari Singh Nalwa, the first commander-in-chief of the Sikh Khalsa Fauj (the army of the Sikh Empire).[53]
See also
References
External links
Wikiwand - on
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Remove ads