Kesari Chapter 2

Kesari Chapter 2 Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, Ananya Panday, Amit Sial, Simon Paisley Day, Regena Cassandrra

Director: Karan Singh Tyagi

What’s Good: Performances, articulate research, the cinematography, especially in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre scenes, background scores, and the costumes.

What’s Bad: R Madhavan’s character had more room for a profound development, the portrayals of the Britishers tend to get stereotyped in some parts.

Loo Break: This one is too gripping for that. We would suggest the interval itself.

Watch or Not?: This one is a must-watch for every Indian who is still waiting for an apology from the British government.

Language: Hindi

Available On: Theatrical release

Runtime: 135 Minutes

User Rating:

In one of the final scenes of the bench trial, where Akshay Kumar’s C Sankaran Nair is held in contempt of court, the lawyer-activist screams loudly, “These Britishers consider us animals, which is evident in their board, Indians and Dogs not allowed. According to them, we can have a herd but not our own independent country.” This is followed by a ferocious, “Get The F**k Out Of My Country” to Reginald Dyer (Simon Paisley Day). This is one of the many scenes that not only showcase the fierceness of Nair but also evoke the same anger and pain in our hearts.

Kesari Chapter 2 chronicles the untold story of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, which took place on April 13, 1919, when, under General Dyer’s orders, British troops fired bullets mercilessly on innumerable Indians in the Bagh. These Indians had come together for a peaceful protest against the Rowlatt Act on the holy day of Baisakhi. Not only were they brutally murdered, but they were also falsely labeled as ’terrorists.’

Any voice that tried to bring out the truth of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was crushed ruthlessly. Amid this, a former member of the British viceroy, C Sankaran Nair, who also received his knighthood on the same day of the massacre, realizes his conscience. From serving the Britishers, he turns out to be their fiercest nemesis in the courtroom. He is joined by a determined female lawyer Dilreet Gill (Ananya Panday). It is then that the Britishers throw their trump card, lawyer Neville McKinley (R Madhavan), making the latter believe that Nair was behind his reputation being damaged. What follows is Nair going against all odds to prove General Dyer as guilty of the stone-cold genocide of innumerable innocent souls at the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

Kesari Chapter 2 Movie Review: Script Analysis

Director Karan Singh Tyagi wastes no time in transporting us back to the horrifying incident, which remains the darkest spot in our Indian history. One of the biggest highlights of the film remains in its extensive research and articulation in the investigation sequences. Right from the conspiracies of Dyer from before the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to trying to divert the case to a false rape case, the film shows it all. Not only this, but the brutal psychology of Dyer, which stemmed from his acute hatred towards Indians was also shown intricately in the film.

The dialogues are bound to give goosebumps and etch out the psyche and the objectives of each character, be it Sankaran Nair’s courage or General Dyer’s brutality. The screenplay’s pace is affected a bit in the second half, which adds to the length of the film. There was also a scope of a more refined writing for R Madhavan’s Neville McKinley. His conscience or the rivalry with Nair was not fully explored despite being established initially.

Kesari Chapter 2 Movie Review: Star Performance

Akshay Kumar’s exuberance shines bright throughout the film. His portrayal of C Sankaran Nair is a brilliant combination of vulnerability and intensity. Be it in the courtroom scenes wherein he has to roar loudly or in the emotionally high-octane scenes wherein he has to challenge his conscience, the actor is simply a visual delight in every frame. But it is the final bench trial scene wherein he shines the brightest. The Khiladi Kumar is indeed back again, and how! Ananya Panday delivers a strong and intense performance. It can be safely said that Kesari Chapter 2 is one of her best works from her filmography till now.

R Madhavan does full justice to his character. The shrewdness, frustration and insecurity of Neville McKinley etches out clearly in his performance. Amit Sial and Regena Cassandra also deliver an honest act. However, Simon Paisley Day impresses as the antagonist. You feel a profound anger and disgust at just the sight of him, given his stellar act of Dyer.