Kesari Chapter 2 box office day 2: Akshay Kumar’s Jallianwala Bagh courtroom drama heads toward Rs 20cr milestone

Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, featuring Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday, has demonstrated steady traction at the box office in its opening weekend. The film opened with ₹7.75 crore on its first day and followed up with an improved performance on Saturday, adding approximately ₹9.50 crore to its domestic tally. With a cumulative two-day total of ₹17.25 crore, the film is well on its way to surpassing the ₹20 crore mark by the end of its opening weekend, positioning itself for a competitive first-week run amid a crowded box office landscape.

The historical courtroom drama, directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, delves into one of colonial India‘s most defining legal battles. At its core, the film revolves around the courageous stand taken by C. Sankaran Nair, an Indian jurist who challenged the British Raj’s denial of culpability in the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Adapted from the book The Case That Shook the Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, the narrative offers an engaging cinematic retelling of how a courtroom became a stage for resistance against colonial violence and impunity.

What is Kesari Chapter 2 about and why does it matter?

Set against the backdrop of post-massacre colonial India, Kesari Chapter 2 chronicles the legal and personal trials of C. Sankaran Nair, who sued the British government following their denial and cover-up of the massacre at Amritsar’s Jallianwala Bagh. The brutal killing of unarmed Indian civilians by Brigadier General Reginald Dyer’s troops was one of the most consequential events in British India, significantly fuelling anti-colonial sentiment.

In the film, Akshay Kumar portrays Nair as a man of unwavering principle who uses legal instruments to demand justice, not through revolution or violence but through a courtroom argument. R. Madhavan plays Advocate Neville McKinley, a British barrister defending the Crown, while Ananya Panday plays a fictionalised assistant working alongside Nair. While the drama is anchored in historical fact, the narrative has been cinematically adapted to weave in personal conflicts and emotional subplots that amplify the tension of the courtroom battle.

The film explores a rarely dramatized legal proceeding and brings attention to the lesser-known heroes of India’s independence movement. The courtroom format, underscored by intense arguments and ideological clashes, makes for a compelling watch, especially at a time when the Indian audience has shown increased interest in politically charged period dramas.

How has the film performed commercially in its first two days?

On Friday, Kesari Chapter 2 registered a respectable opening with ₹7.75 crore, reflecting cautious optimism among moviegoers. On Saturday, the film experienced a healthy upward trend with ₹9.50 crore, signalling that positive word-of-mouth may be driving footfall in urban multiplexes. With a combined total of ₹17.25 crore by Saturday night, the movie has positioned itself within striking distance of the ₹20 crore mark, a psychological benchmark for early box office validation.

Audience turnout has been strongest in metros, with Chennai leading in occupancy at over 56%, followed by Bengaluru and Hyderabad at 43% and 38%, respectively. This skew towards Tier-1 urban audiences suggests that the film’s thematic and historical complexity may be resonating more with viewers familiar with India’s colonial history or those appreciative of courtroom-based storytelling.

The film is expected to close the weekend with collections upwards of ₹27 crore if Sunday maintains the current momentum. The weekday performance will play a crucial role in determining the film’s sustainability and whether it can achieve the break-even target required for a ₹150 crore production.

What are the challenges and opportunities for Kesari Chapter 2 going forward?

Despite its strong cast and engaging storyline, Kesari Chapter 2 enters a competitive box office environment. Sunny Deol’s Jaat, an action-centric entertainer targeting mass-market appeal, has already grossed ₹69.50 crore in ten days. While the two films cater to different audiences, overlap in single-screen territories could impact Kesari Chapter 2’s extended run.

On the flip side, the movie’s educational and historical resonance could spur additional footfall, particularly if state governments consider tax exemptions for educational institutions or promote group viewings as part of cultural literacy campaigns. Moreover, the upcoming weeks have relatively few high-budget releases, giving Kesari Chapter 2 a two-week window to consolidate earnings before the next festival lineup.

How does Kesari Chapter 2 fit into Akshay Kumar’s filmography?

Akshay Kumar’s recent track record has seen fluctuations at the box office, with some of his socially driven films underperforming theatrically despite critical acclaim. Kesari Chapter 2 represents a return to historical storytelling for Kumar, reminiscent of his 2019 release Kesari, which focused on the Battle of Saragarhi. However, while the two films share thematic tones of patriotism and sacrifice, Kesari Chapter 2 is more introspective, focusing on legal justice rather than battlefield heroics.

Kumar’s performance has been widely acknowledged as one of his more restrained and grounded portrayals in recent years. His character navigates institutional resistance, legal challenges, and moral dilemmas with nuance, moving away from the action-heavy roles that have long defined his commercial appeal.

For R. Madhavan, the film adds another dimension to his already diverse career. His portrayal of McKinley has been described as layered and coldly articulate, offering a formidable counterweight to Kumar’s impassioned delivery. Ananya Panday, meanwhile, has used the opportunity to shift toward more serious roles, receiving favourable early reviews for her performance.

Will the film’s historical theme resonate with wider audiences?

Historical dramas, particularly those centred on colonial resistance, have gained renewed popularity in recent years. Films such as Raazi, Sardar Udham, and The Legend of Bhagat Singh have demonstrated that there is audience interest in cinematic retellings of India’s freedom struggle when executed with authenticity and clarity.

Kesari Chapter 2 taps into this trend but differentiates itself by focusing on the legal repercussions of colonial brutality rather than physical resistance. The focus on courtrooms, debates, and constitutional frameworks presents a fresh angle and could open the door for more nuanced period dramas in mainstream cinema.

Additionally, with India’s education sector increasingly incorporating film as a pedagogical tool, Kesari Chapter 2 could find a secondary life in academic screenings and OTT platforms, where viewers are more inclined to engage with layered narratives.

While the film may not rely on the typical trappings of commercial Bollywood—such as item songs, romance-driven subplots, or action sequences—it provides a different kind of emotional payoff: that of justice delivered through truth, argument, and institutional challenge.

As the film continues its theatrical run, its impact may be judged not just by revenue but by its ability to spark renewed conversations around accountability, legal resistance, and historical memory in Indian public discourse.