Kesari Chapter 2 Movie Review: Akshay Kumar’s Courtroom Drama Stumbles Over Fictional History

⭐ Overall Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (1.5/5)

Streaming On: Theatrical Release
Director: Unknown
Cast: Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, Ananya Panday
Genre: Historical Drama, Courtroom Fiction

📝 Introduction: History Rewritten, Not Respected

Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh is neither a respectful homage to India’s painful past nor a compelling courtroom thriller. Instead, it falls somewhere between a loud historical fantasy and a formulaic nationalistic drama, leaning heavily on star power while discarding facts. Akshay Kumar and R Madhavan bring energy, but even their theatrics can’t salvage a film riddled with inaccuracies and bloated patriotic messaging.

🎬 Plot Overview: A Trial That Never Happened

The film claims to be inspired by The Case That Shook The Empire, based on the real-life legal confrontation between C Sankaran Nair and Michael O’Dwyer. But rather than sticking to documented history, Kesari Chapter 2 invents a fictional genocide case filed against the British Crown in an Indian court—a trial that never happened.

Akshay Kumar plays C Sankaran Nair, portrayed here as a courtroom superhero who takes on the British Empire with blazing speeches, Kalaripayattu moves, and unwavering righteousness. Opposing him is R Madhavan’s McKinley—a slick, vengeful British lawyer—and Ananya Panday as Dilreet Singh, a token feminist sidekick and young lawyer from Punjab. Together, they form a team that’s more cinematic than credible.

🎭 Performances: High on Swagger, Low on Substance

• Akshay Kumar plays Nair with overconfidence rather than nuance. There’s no hint of a South Indian dialect, despite his character being rooted in Kerala. Instead of embodying Nair, he appears to be playing a stylized version of himself in patriotic gear.

• R Madhavan makes an interesting start as the antagonist, channeling shades of his villainous role from Shaitaan (2024). But he’s ultimately reduced to a courtroom puppet, snarling clichés instead of engaging in meaningful legal debate.

• Ananya Panday is unfortunately underutilized. Her character is more symbolic than functional, and her few feminist punchlines feel awkwardly inserted for applause rather than development.

⚖️ Fiction vs Fact: Where History Takes a Hit

The real Sankaran Nair did protest the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and resigned from the Viceroy’s Council. He was involved in a defamation case filed against him in London—not a bold prosecution of the British in India. The film, however, discards this and creates an entirely fictitious trial in an Amritsar court, placing Colonel Dyer (instead of O’Dwyer) on the witness stand.

While some dramatization is expected in cinema, Kesari Chapter 2 veers into dangerous territory by presenting fiction as historical fact. Despite a disclaimer, the fabricated narrative risks distorting public memory of colonial history.

📉 Screenplay & Direction: All Hype, No Edge

From the start, the film screams its intentions with stylized visuals, overacted confrontations, and patriotic background scores. But the courtroom sequences lack originality and depth. Legal arguments are clunky, the dialogue tired, and key scenes—like Dyer’s “confession”—feel ripped from classics like A Few Good Men.

The narrative never surprises or challenges. It’s predictable, overly sentimental, and filled with nationalistic sermonizing rather than actual tension or character development.

🎥 Technical Aspects: Glossy but Hollow

• Cinematography: Glossy and stagey, perfect for poster frames but not immersive.

• Music: Emotionally manipulative at best, forgettable at worst.

• Editing: Tries to maintain pace, but choppy narrative flow makes the experience feel sluggish.

👨‍⚖️ Final Verdict: A Fabricated Fantasy in Patriotic Packaging

Kesari Chapter 2 isn’t a celebration of forgotten heroes or justice—it’s a loud, confused cinematic fabrication disguised as a historical drama. It trades truth for theatrics and chooses spectacle over storytelling. Akshay Kumar and R Madhavan bring flair, but can’t carry a script this hollow.

If you’re looking for a meaningful reflection on India’s past or a nuanced legal drama, you’ll leave disappointed. This sequel neither respects its source material nor engages critically with its themes. It’s all noise and no substance.