Kesari 2 Review: Akshay Kumar, Ananya Panday Film Is An Engaging Courtroom Drama That Deserves Our Attention!
Kesari 2 starring Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday is directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and backed by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions. Read our review here.
3.5 / 5
Kesari 2 starring Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday brings the untold story of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that happened on April 13, 1919. NGL, I was already invested in the film after watching the trailer, and it’s safe to say that Kesari 2 did not disappoint, barring some cliche Bollywoodey tropes and an unnecessary cameo that left me frustrated! It narrates the story of advocate C Sankaran Nair, who fought against the British Raj and General Dyer for being guilty of the genocide in which thousands of innocent people were brutally killed. This Karan Tyagi Singh directed courtroom drama leaves you with many afterthoughts and emotions which were long due from a theatrical release. Read here for the detailed review.
Plot
While I will keep the spoilers to myself, Kesari 2 does tell some important events that were nowhere to be found in our History books. Real-life events inspire the movie, but it also has some fictional characters. Akshay Kumar plays the role of C Sankaran Nair, an advocate who bravely fought against the lies narrated by General Dyer and the British Raj about the Jallianwala Bagh incident. Ananya Panday is seen as Dilreet Gill, who co-counsels the case with Sankaran Nair. The film opens with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre scenes, and it’s gut-wrenching. It shows some important moments of Sankaran Nair’s life, like receiving the title of Knighthood from the Crown, and how he goes from being an advocate for the British Raj to suing them for the Jallianwala Bagh genocide.
However, the film moves forward to show Sankaran Nair’s gradual change of heart and how he raises his voice, uses his legal tools to fight the British Raj. R Madhavan is seen in the role of a sly and smart barrister, Neville McKinley, representing the crown. In the second half, the film revolves around Nair and Dilreet’s constant efforts to win the case and prove General Dyer wrong, and McKinley’s deceitful lies in the court.
What’s Good?
Performances
Akshay Kumar as Sankaran Nair is convincing and delivers a power-packed performance. In some of his monologues, I found myself on-the-edge of the seat. The actor is so effortless in delivering hard-hitting one-liners and, in a few scenes, punchlines too. Akshay Kumar put forth a performance that made me shed some tears, left me furious at what the Britishers did to the innocent Indians, and evoked some strong patriotic feelings. And such strong emotions were felt after a really long time, TBH! There’s a monologue by Akshay Kumar in the end, and it’s evident that the actor gave it all in this scene!
R Madhavan is just perfect as the lawyer defending the crown. Although I wished to see more of him in the film but in whatever little we see of him, the actor is just spot on with his acting.
Ananya Panday always delivers a decent performance as the junior lawyer Dilreet Gill. She quite effectively delivers all the emotions in each frame, especially in her close-up shots. It was quite refreshing to see the actor explore a different role and genre after a long time, and she manages to get that right, too!
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Storytelling And Dialogue
The storytelling of Kesari 2 is impactful. The makers have taken some creative liberty in some moments that look dramatic, but overall, the screenplay and storytelling of Kesari 2 keep you engaged and invested in the film. Some amount of credit should also go to the dialogues because, at least, we are served the same old and overdone preachy lines. Some courtroom scenes are well written, shot and executed. There is constant hunger for curiosity to know more, and what happens next. There are some exchanges of dialogue in the courtroom that were thrilling to watch on the big screen.
Background Score
It’s a Bollywood film and we can’t not expect a loud background score to evoke emotions in a scene. The same thing happens here too, but it does not bother much, for most parts. The background score has been effectively used, especially the song O Shera. The song is very much capable of giving you goosebumps.
Supporting Cast
Not just the lead stars, but the supporting cast in Kesari 2 has also done a phenomenal job. Simon Paisley Day is outstanding as General Dyer. I was angry, frustrated and disgusted to see the racist character who looked down upon Indians and wanted to treat them just like animals. All the foreign actors who were a part of this film did not look caricaturist or funny, which was quite a relief.
Also Read: Jaya Bachchan’s Remarks On Akshay Kumar Starrer Toilet: Ek Prem Katha Has Left The Internet Furious!
What Lacks?
While the storytelling is overall nice, the film does feel stretched and dragged in some parts. Some moments could have been avoided or done better. In the second half, I was really hoping to see a face-off between McKinley and Sankaran Nair, but that did not happen much. The addition of an unnecessary cameo in the film was forced in this film, which deals with some really serious events. Well, we are also quite done with the slow-motion walks now! In fact, the film could have very much focused on making us and the character stay in some moments to actually feel the gravity of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Kesari 2 is also a visually appealing film for the big screens and deserves our attention. The storyline, performances, dialogues and background score all these elements come together to give us a movie that is impactful and intriguing. Apart for a few moments here are there, the film does a commendable job in holding your attention and keeping you engaged throughout. It’s currently running in theatres!
First Published: April 18, 2025 6:55 PM
