'Kesari 2' review: Akshay delivers stirring performance in emotional film
What's the story
Kesari Chapter 2, a spiritual sequel to Kesari, stars Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, Ananya Panday, and Amit Sial.
The disclaimer tells us that although it's "based on true events, it's a fictional story," and creative liberties have been taken.
Deeply soul-stirring, it's masterfully carried by Kumar (batting on his home ground), and asks: How much do you really know about the Indian independence struggle?
Premise
Highlights the horrors of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
Kumar plays noted barrister Sir C Sankaran Nair, who is remembered for taking on the British in court in the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The film marries fact with fiction, begins with the aforementioned massacre, and follows Nair's journey to hold the "Butcher of Amritsar," General Dyer, accountable in court.
Panday plays his colleague, while Madhavan essays his professional rival.
#1
You stay with the film throughout
Kesari 2's biggest strength is its gripping and engaging nature, an incredibly challenging feat to achieve.
Tears welled up in my eyes often, and the film doesn't have to rely on excessive melodrama (though it isn't completely absent) to tug at your heartstrings.
One of my favorite moments is when Kesari's evergreen Teri Mitti plays in the first half.
The very definition of goosebumps!
#2
Easy to connect with the story and characters
Director Karan Singh Tyagi goes right for the kill, with a chilling massacre sequence certain to leave you teary-eyed.
The movie creates the era gone by through the presence of vintage cars, old cameras, telephones, and period costumes.
Rain and gloomy clouds are a recurring motif, and go well with the mood of the drama, signifying darkness, depression, and lack of hope all around.
#3
Madhavan and Kumar's acting uplifts it
Some of the best scenes in the film feature the biting, delicious rivalry between Madhavan, who plays Advocate Neville McKinley, and Kumar.
They are a perfect match for each other, and neither actor misses a beat, though their characters could have done with better writing.
Simon Paisley Day, who essays General Dyer, also plays his part expertly, inspiring terror and dripping authority.
#4
Negatives: Panday is terribly miscast in this period drama
Coming to the aspects where the film falls short, Panday does her best in the role that she's given, but you can't shake off the feeling that she's better suited for contemporary roles.
Possibly due to overexposure due to social media, she looks miscast in this period drama.
She appears too modern, too out of place in a film largely set in 1919.
#5
Becomes too predictable and theatrical at times
Kesari 2 is reduced to a middling, predictable drama more than once.
Weirdly, it seems like the project has multiple climax scenes, and toward the end, the film becomes so obsessed with shock value that it keeps stalling its real climax.
Additionally, a dance number featuring Masaba Gupta and a highly predictable sub-plot in the second half do the film zero favors.
Verdict
Watch it for its patriotic flavor; 3/5 stars
Had Kesari 2 cut down on the needless frills and confusing sub-plots, it would have had a greater, more resounding impact.
Nonetheless, it's still an honest, solid tribute to Nair, Indian freedom fighters, and martyrs of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
It's another recent project (like Sardar Udham, Freedom at Midnight) that reiterates how freedom comes at a lethal price.
3/5 stars.