Akshay Kumar’s latest release, Kesari Chapter 2: The
Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, has finally hit theatres and made a solid
start at the box office. Co-starring R. Madhavan and Ananya Panday, the film
opened to largely positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Directed
by debutant Karan Singh Tyagi and backed by Dharma Productions, Leo Media
Collective, and Cape of Good Films, the historical courtroom drama raked in
₹6.2 crore on its opening day.
A Decent Start at the Box Office
According to box office tracking platform Sacnilk, Kesari
Chapter 2 had collected ₹5.46 crore by early evening. As per the latest
update, the film’s total earnings by 9 PM stood at ₹6.2 crore. The
Hindi-language film recorded an overall occupancy rate of 17.40% on Friday,
with morning shows seeing 12.67% occupancy and peaking at 19.76% during the
afternoon and evening shows.
While the numbers fall short of Akshay Kumar’s January
release Sky Force, which earned ₹12.25 crore on its opening day, Kesari
Chapter 2 still marks a strong start for a historical courtroom drama.
Strong Performances Drive Early Buzz
The film has garnered praise for its powerful performances
and engaging narrative. Akshay Kumar stars as C. Sankaran Nair, a fearless
lawyer who challenged the British Raj to uncover the truth behind the 1919
Jallianwala Bagh massacre. R. Madhavan appears as Advocate Neville McKinley,
while Ananya Panday plays Dilreet Gill, a young, idealistic lawyer.
A review from Hindustan Times noted: “Akshay gives it
his all in the climax of this film—likely his best scene in the entire movie.
His commanding screen presence is tapped into very well by director Karan in Kesari
Chapter 2. Ananya Panday as budding lawyer Dilreet Gill complements Akshay
wonderfully. There’s some scope for improvement in the emotional scenes,
though. R Madhavan, as advocate Neville McKinley, holds his own in front of
Akshay.”
A Powerful Story of Resistance
Unlike the original Kesari (2019), which focused on
the Battle of Saragarhi, Kesari Chapter 2 delves into the aftermath of
the Jallianwala Bagh massacre—one of the darkest chapters in Indian colonial
history. It follows the legal battle led by Sankaran Nair to bring British
brutality to light, offering a mix of courtroom intensity and historical
insight.
The film’s gripping narrative, bolstered by authentic
production design and tight editing, has been applauded for presenting a
lesser-known hero of the freedom struggle.
What’s Next?
Given the positive word-of-mouth and the fan following of
Akshay Kumar, industry experts are hopeful that the film’s earnings will grow
over the weekend. Saturday and Sunday collections will be crucial to determine
if Kesari Chapter 2 can maintain its momentum and cross significant box
office milestones in its first week.
For now, the ₹6 crore opening is a promising start for a
genre that typically doesn't pull in massive first-day numbers. With strong
performances, a patriotic theme, and positive audience response, Kesari
Chapter 2 could very well be one of the sleeper hits of the year.