Kesari 2 rekindles forgotten legal battle after Jallianwala Bagh

A forgotten courtroom battle fought in the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre takes centre stage in Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, which had its special screening in the Capital on Tuesday ahead of its nationwide release this Friday.

Organised by Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri, the screening drew a notable gathering of political dignitaries and Bollywood stars. Among those in attendance were actors Akshay Kumar and R Madhavan, as well as political leaders such as MPs Bansuri Swaraj and Anurag Thakur, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Cabinet Ministers Kapil Mishra and Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri hailed the film as a “transformational piece” of cinema that brings history out of textbooks and onto the screen. “The film sheds light on a forgotten chapter of our history. It is a cinematic ode to India’s freedom movement and the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh,” he said, addressing the audience at the screening.

In a post on X, Puri described the film as “a gripping narrative” and called it “a must-watch for every Indian and champion of justice.”

Actor R Madhavan, who has featured in several historical dramas, called Kesari Chapter 2 the proudest film of his career. “The message is very loud and clear. We are a proud country with proud people, and the days of taking Indians for granted are gone,” he said.

Referring to the British-made Gandhi, he added, “They made a film about us. Now, we have made this one. Let the world watch and know what we are capable of.”

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta called the film “marvellous” and a reminder of the sacrifices made by countless unnamed freedom fighters. “We will never get the chance to die for our country, but we can surely live for it,” she said.

Delhi Cabinet Minister Kapil Mishra praised Akshay Kumar’s performance and the film’s portrayal of a lesser-known chapter of India’s freedom struggle. Manjinder Singh Sirsa, meanwhile, used the opportunity to criticise the Congress party, alleging that it had deliberately erased C Sankaran Nair’s legacy.

Talking about the importance of the movie and paying attention to all the dialogues, Akshay Kumar, addressed the audience inside the theatre and made a heartfelt appeal, saying, “I humbly request you all to please keep your phones in your pockets and listen to every dialogue of this film. It will mean a lot. If you try to check your Instagram during the movie, it will be a humiliation for the film.”