Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, and Ananya Panday starrer historical courtroom drama Kesari Chapter 2 hit theatres this Friday.
According to reports, the film earned ₹7.50 crore on its opening day. Theatres saw an average occupancy of around 20%, from 12.67% during morning shows to 27.80% by night.
Reportedly made on a budget of ₹150 crore, the film features Akshay Kumar in the role of the iconic lawyer C. Sankaran Nair, shedding light on the lesser-known story surrounding the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The tragic event took place on April 13, 1919, during the Baisakhi festival in Amritsar, and is remembered as one of the most harrowing episodes of India’s colonial past.
Thousands had assembled at Jallianwala Bagh in a peaceful protest against the Rowlatt Act, also calling for the release of prominent leaders Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew.
Without any warning, British officer Brigadier General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire on the unarmed crowd.
According to the Ministry of Culture, approximately 1,650 rounds were discharged, with the firing ceasing only after the ammunition was exhausted. While British records reported 291 fatalities, Indian accounts estimate that over 500 lives were lost.
Kesari Chapter 2 serves as a follow-up to the 2019 film Kesari, which portrayed the heroic Battle of Saragarhi—where 21 Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army bravely fought against 10,000 Pashtun tribesmen. The original film also featured Parineeti Chopra in a significant role.
