Movie Review By Prashant Shukla
Plot:
Loosely based on the book The Case That Shook the Empire, Kesari: Chapter 2 chronicles the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the courtroom proceedings that followed, where revolutionary C. Sankaran Nair, along with Dilreet Gill, sued the Crown for genocide.
The Performances:
Akshay Kumar, after a long time, appears in his most sincere avatar – glimpses of which were slightly visible in *Sky Force*. *Kesari: Chapter 2* can easily be counted among his best performances. R. Madhavan is decent – brilliant in terms of acting, but the writing doesn’t give him much to work with. Ananya Panday as Dilreet Gill is ‘decent’ at best. The British actors have no character whatsoever – they all sound the same, act the same, and emote the same in their broken Hindi accents (though the reverse racism is oddly entertaining at times).
The Technical Aspects:
Cinematography, art direction, and costumes are the heart of the film. Debojeet Ray captures intense moments with wide frames and telephoto lenses, enhancing the drama beautifully.
Writing & Direction:
Writer-director Karan Singh Tyagi clearly pours his heart into the film, but *Kesari: Chapter 2* feels like a mixed bag. While individual scenes shine, the narrative lacks cohesion, leaving audiences emotionally detached — something *Sardar Udham* did exceptionally well.
Presentation:
Though the film gets many historical facts right, its conviction in presenting them falters. Character arcs and plot convenience take away from realism. Yet, the core message is so powerful that it overshadows these flaws.
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Final Verdict:
In conclusion, *Kesari: Chapter 2* transcends being ‘just a film’ – almost bulletproof to logical or critical scrutiny, simply because it tells a story that was long overdue to be brought to the big screen. Highly recommended!
