Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday-starrer Kesari: Chapter 2 hit theatres on Friday. The film got a solo release, banking on the Good Friday holiday at the box office. However, the Karan Singh Tyagi directorial, backed by Karan Johar`s Dharma Productions, managed to earn only in single digits on its opening day. The film, however, received glowing reviews from critics and audiences alike, and is hoping to gain momentum in the coming days.
Kesari Chapter 2 fares better than Akshay`s recent films
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh cited limited screens for the film as one of the reasons for the low opening collections. However, the film fared better than Akshay Kumar`s recent content-driven films.
The biographical drama stars Akshay Kumar as lawyer C. Sankaran Nair, who fought against the British Empire in the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It earned Rs 7.84 crore at the domestic box office on Day 1.
Breaking down the Day 2 box office, Adarsh tweeted,”Powered by glowing reviews and strong word of mouth, #KesariChapter2 has opened on expected lines across key markets.
While the #GoodFriday holiday should`ve ideally resulted in a stronger Day 1 total, the noticeable rise in occupancies as the day progressed – driven by excellent audience feedback – is certainly encouraging.
Compared to the opening day business of #AkshayKumar`s recent content-driven films – #MissionRaniganj [Rs 2.80 cr], #Sarfira [Rs 2.50 cr], and #KhelKhelMein [Rs 5.23 cr; #IndependenceDay] – #KesariChapter2 has fared significantly better on Day 1.
It`s also worth noting that #KesariChapter2 has had a fairly limited release – approx 1,000 cinemas across #India… The release strategy – focusing on multiplexes and premium single screens – is a smart and wise move.
All eyes are now on Saturday and Sunday, when strong word of mouth could translate into solid weekend numbers.”
Powered by glowing reviews and strong word of mouth, #KesariChapter2 has opened on expected lines across key markets.
While the #GoodFriday holiday should`ve ideally resulted in a stronger Day 1 total, the noticeable rise in occupancies as the day progressed – driven by… pic.twitter.com/xEAjbe05cy
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) April 19, 2025
About the film
`Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh` is directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and produced by Dharma Productions, Leo Media Collective, and Cape of Good Films.
The film is a spiritual sequel to Kesari (2019). Its plot is based on the book The Case That Shook The Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, centered around C. Sankaran Nair and the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The film stars Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday. It was released on 18 April 2025, marking the 106th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
The first installment of Kesari was headlined by Akshay and directed by Anurag Singh. It depicted the Battle of Saragarhi — a heroic stand by 21 Sikh soldiers of the 36th Sikh Regiment of the British Indian Army against 10,000 Afridi and Orakzai Pashtun tribesmen in 1897.
Ahead of the release, Akshay and Ananya visited the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh on April 14 to pay tribute to the martyrs.