Kesari 2 Review: A Powerful Legal Drama That Unearths the Truth of Jallianwala Bagh

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After watching Kesari 2 on OTT, I wasn’t left cheering. I was left quiet. Reflective. Even angry. Not in a bad way, but in that way when a film actually makes you think about the world, about history, and about how the stories we don’t shout about are the ones that hit the hardest. I went in expecting a patriotic courtroom drama, maybe even something a bit loud and rousing. What I got instead was a film that chooses restraint over noise, emotion over drama, and truth over spectacle.

Directed by Anil Sharma, Kesari 2 isn’t about warriors with swords or epic battle cries. It’s about standing your ground with words, truth, and integrity. It’s about a man who walked away from power and chose to fight a broken system, not to win medals, but to make sure no one forgot what happened in Jallianwala Bagh.

The Plot – Fighting with the Power of Truth

Set after the tragic 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, the story follows Sir Sankaran Nair (Akshay Kumar), a senior member of the Viceroy’s Council who feels it is unnecessary to oppose the crown. Once, while returning from the council, he finds a survivor of the massacre who decides to put his foot down against the cruel act. But the death of this young survivor shakes him, and he decides to return to his homeland. All these changes as soo as he visits the place of massacre, and soon he resigns in protest. Hundreds of innocent Indians were gunned down by General Dyer under British command, and Nair chooses not to stay silent.

Enter Dilreet Singh (Ananya Panday), a sharp, fearless young lawyer who convinces Nair not just to resign, but to fight legally, publicly, and boldly. She challenges him to visit Amritsar, to see the truth for himself, and asks him to lend a support to her while fight against the British government. That push becomes the real heart of the film: a legal battle that’s not just about proving a point, but about rewriting how history remembers injustice.

Along the way, Nair faces endless hurdles from bureaucratic blocks to public skepticism. And standing firmly against him is a British loyalist (played by R. Madhavan) who’s calm, calculated, and deeply intimidating. He represents every wall Nair has to break down, one measured step at a time.

The Characters – Real, Layered, and Driven by Purpose

Akshay Kumar dials things way down here in a good way. There’s no hero swagger, no big punchlines. He plays Nair with quiet conviction, letting the emotional weight of the story speak louder than any speech. It’s one of his most restrained and thoughtful performances in a long time.

Ananya Panday, to my surprise, is honestly one of the strongest parts of the film. Her role as Dilreet is not decorative, instead the spark that lights the fire. There’s something quietly powerful about her belief in what’s right that cuts through all the chaos. It’s a role with depth, and she holds her own.

And then there’s R. Madhavan. Oh wow. He doesn’t yell. He doesn’t twist his mustache. But he’s terrifying. His character isn’t evil in a cartoonish way; he’s logical, cold, and dangerously composed. It’s that eerie calm that makes him such a strong presence. His scenes with Akshay are full of silent tension, no screaming matches, just two powerful ideologies clashing across a courtroom.

Even the supporting British actors bring in that icy detachment, which makes the injustice feel even colder. Their calm demeanor feels like a slap when placed next to the pain, grief, and anger of the Indian characters. That contrast really hits.

Direction & Screenplay – A Refreshing Take on Patriotism

I’ll admit I didn’t expect this kind of subtlety from Anil Sharma. He’s known for larger-than-life patriotic films, but here, he takes a completely different route. There are no over-the-top speeches or emotional manipulation. He keeps it grounded. Even the Jallianwala Bagh massacre isn’t shown with drama; it’s handled with a kind of reverent silence, letting the words and aftermath do the talking.

And that silence? It’s haunting.

Shridhar Raghavan’s screenplay is beautifully restrained. It takes its time, trusts the audience, and never feels like it’s spoon-feeding us. Every courtroom moment is packed with subtext and emotion, and every conversation feels earned. The backstories, the motivation all come together with care. Even Dilreet isn’t just there for a token representation. She’s written as someone who makes a real difference, someone who forces the change to begin.

Madhavan’s character is also so well-written. Not a villain, just a man convinced of his own version of “order.” That’s what makes the tension feel so real, it’s not just black and white, good vs evil. It’s about ideology vs empathy, structure vs justice.

Final Thoughts – More Than Just a Sequel

Kesari 2 isn’t your usual Independence Day rewatch material. It’s not meant to pump your fists. It’s meant to stay with you. And it really, really does.

It reminds us that resistance doesn’t always look dramatic sometimes it looks like a courtroom, a quiet argument, or a woman daring to speak when she’s told to stay silent. Akshay Kumar delivers a standout performance, Ananya Panday is refreshingly impactful, and R. Madhavan… well, he steals every frame he’s in with his icy presence.

Watch Kesari 2 not because it’s a sequel, but because it gives voice to a painful chapter in Indian history without turning it into spectacle. It doesn’t scream for attention. It makes you listen. And that’s what makes it powerful.

And hey, if you're feeling a bit heavy after that, I’ve also reviewed a fun Malayalam fantasy film, Padakkalam. It’s chaotic, clever, and the kind of film that helps you unwind while still making you think. Check it out here.

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