‘Kesari Chapter 2’ is a Lie? How Akshay Kumar’s Movie Completely Reimagines C Sankaran Nair’s Legal Battle Over Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (SPOILER ALERT)

Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, is an independent sequel to the 2019 film Kesari. Akshay Kumar leads both films, with Dharma Productions backing the projects. While the first Kesari depicted the 1897 Battle of Saragarhi - where 21 Sikh soldiers of the British Indian Army fought valiantly against thousands of Pashtun tribesmen - Kesari Chapter 2 shifts focus to the legal fallout of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, centring on C Sankanran Nair's efforts to hold General Dyer accountable for his brutal actions. ‘Kesari Chapter 2’ Movie Review: Akshay Kumar’s Formulaic Approach Does Disservice to This Powerful if Distorted Chapter From History.

Akshay Kumar portrays C Sankaran Nair, a Malayali barrister who was knighted by the British Empire and once served on the Viceroy’s Council. He later resigned in protest against the massacre. Nair was also the only Keralite to serve as President of the Indian National Congress at the time. The film portrays his legal battle against the British Empire to bring General Dyer to justice and seek reparation for the victims.

Watch the Trailer of 'Kesari Chapter 2':

Kesari Chapter 2 also features R Madhavan, Ananya Panday, Regina Cassandra, and Amit Sial. It claims to be based on the book The Case That Shook the Empire, authored by Raghu and Pushpa Palat. But what if we told you the courtroom drama shown in the film is largely fictionalised and diverges significantly from the historical truth?

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!

What Happens in 'Kesari Chapter 2'?

In the film, C Sankaran Nair is shown as part of a commission investigating the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, portrayed as the sole Indian member who dares to declare Dyer guilty. Ignored and dismissed, he is spurred on by a young lawyer named Dillreet and a visit to the massacre site. Together, they file a case against General Dyer and the British Crown, accusing them of genocide.

Though the British manipulate the proceedings and Nair ultimately loses the case, he cleverly exposes their deceit to the media - highlighting the tampering of evidence and the jury - earning the respect of his fellow countrymen. Dyer is relieved of command in the aftermath, and Nair’s moral stand is celebrated.

What Really Happened Between C Sankaran Nair and the British Empire?

While the film gets some facts right - such as Nair’s knighthood, his seat on the Viceroy’s Council, and his resignation after the massacre - it strays far from the actual events. For one, Nair was not part of the Hunter Commission, which investigated the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. That commission, headed by Lord William Hunter, included eight members, among them three Indians: Sir Chimanlal Setalvad (a prominent lawyer), Pandit Jagat Narayan (a politician), and Sardar Sahibzada Sultan Ahmad Khan (also a lawyer).

In reality, it was Sir Chimanlal Setalvad, the great-grandfather of noted journalist and social activist Teesta Setalvad, who was a key voice pushing for Dyer to be held accountable. In fact, Taaruk Raina’s character in the SonyLIV series The Waking of a Nation is based on Setalvad. Though the Commission found Dyer culpable and relieved him of duty, he was shielded from harsher punishment due to support from his superiors in Britain. 'Kesari 2': Akshay Kumar Expresses Gratitude to Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for Hosting 'Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh' Screening.

As for Sankaran Nair, his actual legal battle wasn’t with Dyer - but with Michael O’Dwyer, the then Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, who had supported Dyer’s actions. In 1922, Nair published a book titled Gandhi and Anarchy in which he criticised Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violent movement; there is a section where he addressed the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre and directly blamed O’Dwyer for the same.

In retaliation, O’Dwyer sued Nair for defamation in a London court. The trial laid bare the systemic bias of the British legal system: the judge and the jury - composed entirely of white English citizens, save for one Marxist - were clearly sympathetic to O’Dwyer. Nair was unable to bring witnesses from India due to the trial’s London location and ultimately lost the case, being ordered to pay GBP 500 (a huge amount then) in damages.

O’Dwyer reportedly offered to waive the penalty if Nair issued an apology - but Nair defiantly refused. Though he lost financially, he won moral ground by publicly exposing the British Empire’s complicity in injustice and the whitewashing of the Jallianwala Bagh atrocity.

PS: In 1940, O’Dwyer was assassinated by Sardar Udham Singh in London for his role in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. This was retold in Shoojit Sircar's acclaimed Sardar Udham, where Vicky Kaushal plays the lead role. Interestingly, Kaushal also serves as the narrator for Kesari Chapter 2.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 23, 2025 05:56 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).