On April 13, 1919, a peaceful gathering at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar turned into one of the darkest chapters in Indian history. Over a thousand unarmed civilians were killed when British troops, under orders from General Dyer, opened fire without warning. Now, over a century later, Kesari Chapter 2 brings this event back into focus through the story of C. Sankaran Nair, one of the few Indians who dared to challenge the British Empire in its aftermath.
Kesari Chapter 2: Director Karan Singh Tyagi revisits the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre through the lens of C Sankaran Nair
Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, the film is based on The Case That Shook the Empire, a book written by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, Nair’s great-grandson and his wife. It marks Tyagi’s feature film debut and stars Akshay Kumar in the lead role. The film aims to depict the massacre not only as a tragic event but also as part of a broader, deliberate strategy. “There was a plane that flew over the Bagh to check whether enough people had assembled. There were troops called in — Gurkha troops and Baluch soldiers — and the Sikh infantry was kept completely in the dark because they would be up in arms if they knew,” Tyagi said.
Tyagi, who has studied law and politics, says he was drawn to the subject because of its political and emotional depth. “The event speaks to the present times that we live in. It’s a post-truth world where fake news is rampant. I was fascinated that when people read about the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy, the next day, the truth was suppressed,” he explained.
The film also focuses on the British government’s efforts to suppress dissent. “There were regional newspapers that wanted to report the truth, which got burned down. There’s this famous poem written by a survivor called Khooni Baisakhi—the British Empire went to great lengths to ban that poem. The Empire started spreading a fake narrative… where the victims were labelled as terrorists… I think it’s a fascinating story to bring to the people in 2025,” Tyagi added.
He emphasized the significance of C. Sankaran Nair’s actions following the massacre. “This is the story of Sankaran Nair, who was knighted by the British Empire… For him to then take on the British in the most dramatic of ways is a story of valour. When he resigned from the council, he told the Viceroy [who can be compared to the PM today] that your empire is being run by yes-men so why don’t you make the jamadar replace me.”
Tyagi also reflected on his personal reaction to ongoing narratives that justify the massacre. “That interview really angered me. She labelled the people who came to Jallianwala as looters. The film is important because you’ll be shocked to know that the empire went into overdrive after the massacre. They went to extreme lengths in order to laud General Dyer as a hero.”
Despite being backed by a major star, the director notes that Kesari Chapter 2 began as a small, independent project. “Do you know Kesari is the colour of revolution? For us, the baton of revolution is being passed down to this story where one man is taking on the empire. Revolution seems like a big term but its essence is quite simple – standing up for what’s right,” he said.
Speaking about Akshay Kumar’s involvement, Tyagi shared, “He’s been incredible in his support for me. I just want the audience to watch the film because I feel this is one of his best performances. He’s heard stories from his grandfather, from his father. So he feels a personal connection to the tragedy.”
The film closes with a quote from Pablo Neruda that underscores its message: “Empires perish because they listened to their lawyers and ministers and not to their poets. Empires have to listen to the common people of this country.”
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More Pages: Kesari Chapter 2 Box Office Collection
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