🧠 Synopsis
Set in India during the rule of Europeans, the life of C. Sankaran Nair, a prominent barrister and member of the viceroy’s council is the subject of the movie. Nair was given the responsibility by the British to, “investigate the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar in 1919.” His findings throughout the investigation compel him to seek legal action against Dyer, compelling him to seek out the infamous truth concerning his ordered massacre of civilians; Dyer is forced to face ‘The Crown’, accuse them and challenge the narrative of the British Empire.
Nair fights against the British appointed counter-attorney, an Anglo-Indian bitter lawyer fueled by personal grudges, Neville McKinley. With the aid of a young fiery revolutionary Pargat Singh and law student Dilreet Gill, the tide turns. The courtroom clash uncovers the brutal colonial truth and unmasking media control. The unyielding Nair awakens fervent patriotic sentiments throughout the colonized territories and their indomitable spirit in the Independent struggle.
👥 Cast
- Akshay Kumar will portray Justice C. Sankaran Nair
- R. Madhavan plays the role of Advocate Neville McKinley
- Ananya Panday takes in the part of Dilreet Gill
- Regina Cassandra stars as Parvathy Nair, wife of Sankaran Nair
- Simon Paisley Day performs the role of General Reginald Dyer
- O’Nell Alexx plays Lord Chelmsford
- Amit Sial will portray Tirath Singh
- Mark Bennington plays the role of Michael O’Dwyer.
- Sammy Jonas Heaney will be Harold Laski
- Steven Hartley acts as Judge McArdie
- Krish Rao portrays Pargat Singh
- Rohan Verma enacts Jaan Nisar
- Alexandra Moloney enacts the portrayal of Martha Stevens
- Jaipreet Singh enacts Kirpal Singh
- Luke Kenny takes the role of Appeal Court Judge
- Atul Kumar plays the role of Crown’s lawyer
As a dancer in the “Khumaari” music video, Masaba Gupta made a special appearance
🎞️ Production and filming
The Film started shooting with Akshay Kumar in November 2022 and with Madhavan in January 2023. Parts of the film were shot in Mumbai where they built a large set for Jallianwala Bagh. Other sequences with Kumar and Panday were filmed at IIT Roorkee. The production also filmed in Alibag, Rewari Junction railway station, Rewari Railway Heritage Museum, and some places in Delhi, Red Fort, Sunder Nursery, Delhi University North Campus. The shooting was completed by September 2024.
🎵 Soundtrack
The film’s soundtrack was created by Kanishk Seth alongside Shashwat Sachdev and Kavita Seth. The lyrics were written by Irshad Kamil. The prominent songs from the soundtrack include:
“O Shera – Teer Te Taj” – this song is a remake of the 2020 song “Teer Te Taj” which was released during the 2020-2021 Indian farmers’ protest. The song will be released on April 12, 2025.
“Kithe Gaya Tu Saiyaan” – In the context of this film, this late rendition released on April 14, 2025, adds to the plot’s emotional tone.
🧾 Critical Reception
Reception of Kesari Chapter 2 from critics was mixed:
Positive Reviews:
Firstpost described the film as “a powerfully and deeply engrossing film on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Shankaran Nair, the fearless lawyer,” commending them on their work.
Hindustan Times provided glowing praise highlighting Akshay Kumar’s performance stating “he will rightfully anger the Indian in you,” describing another great aspect of the film.
India Today appreciated that the flick “doesn’t entirely rely on a chest-thumping, bulldozed sense of patriotism to win the audience’s hearts.”
Mixed to Negative Reviews:
The Indian Express is placed in the middle as well saying it’s “A film of its time, for its time, with dollops of patriotic fervour.”
The Hindu took a different approach critiquing the film for significantly “milking the sacrifice of martyrs in Jallianwala Bagh to create a trumped-up narrative,” focusing too heavily on negative aspects.
Mint commented for the film saying it “buries fascinating historical material under piles of nonsense,” showcasing another negative aspect to the film.
🎯 Conclusion
The film Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold story of Jallianwala Bagh pays homage to one of the pivotal moments in the history of India honoring the wrestle the country was involved in to gain independence. The movie includes multifaceted narratives, subsequently strong performances from renowned actors. Still the film has gotten a lot of critique due to its portrayal of some historical events. However, the film does raise the relevant topic of discussion on the great efforts made by the C. Sankaran Nair and the importance of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in India.