logo
Kesari 2 director calls Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘synthesis of history and fiction': ‘Films based on real-life events aren't supposed to be photographs'

Kesari 2 director calls Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘synthesis of history and fiction': ‘Films based on real-life events aren't supposed to be photographs'

Indian Express21-04-2025
There's an ongoing conversation around Akshay Kumar's latest film Kesari 2, with many questioning whether it's a fictional story that uses real-life characters. The film stars Akshay in the role of lawyer SC Sankaran Nair, who legally fought the British Empire in the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919. In a recent interaction, the film's director Karan Singh Tyagi addressed the issue and called the film a 'synthesis of history and fiction.'
During an interaction with Bollywood Hungama, when Karan was asked if Kesari 2 is a 'synthesis of history and fiction,' he agreed and responded, 'You called it a 'synthesis of history and fiction' — and that's exactly what I wanted it to be. One of my screenwriting heroes, Aaron Sorkin, once said that films based on real-life events aren't supposed to be photographs. They can be paintings. In a painting, there's more room for interpretation, more latitude to dramatize and express an idea.'
Karan admitted that he took creative liberties so the film could reach a wider audience. He said, 'That's what I aimed to do. I wanted Sankaran Nair's story to reach as wide an audience as possible. With the support of his family, my co-writers and I set out to portray a man's journey from a British loyalist to one of India's fiercest patriots — someone who used the power of the courts to challenge an empire.'
Despite the criticism, Kesari 2 was hailed by several political dignitaries including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj, Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and Minister Anurag Thakur during its screening in Delhi.
SCREEN review of the film by Shubhra Gupta read, 'While the film is clearly aligned with the Make India Great Again thinking, you can spot a couple of smartly subversive ideas nestling in there. A line about a joint 'Hindu-Muslim' celebration around Ram Navami which happened for the 'first time ' just before the massacre (apparently the dangerous thing that incensed the divide-and-rule British masters so much that it put the pre-planned executions at Jallianwala Bagh into motion, according to the film) tells us such a thing actually happened, something that seems like a receding hope these days. And both the British and Indian lawyers blow the bugle for 'freedom of speech': now where have we heard that phrase before? And can it gain currency again?'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Migrant worker's son and wife beaten by Delhi police; Mamata Banerjee posts video
Migrant worker's son and wife beaten by Delhi police; Mamata Banerjee posts video

United News of India

time29 minutes ago

  • United News of India

Migrant worker's son and wife beaten by Delhi police; Mamata Banerjee posts video

Kolkata July 27 (UNI): A migrant worker's wife and young son, who had travelled from West Bengal to Delhi in search of work, were allegedly assaulted by the police. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee protested against the incident by posting a video on social media. Launching an attack against the BJP-led Central Government and the ruling party in Delhi, she wrote, "Even a child is not spared from linguistic terrorism." In the video shared by the Chief Minister, a young man is seen showing injury marks on his young son's body, saying, "Look what they have done to my son. The police beat him and injured his forehead." He is also heard alleging in the video that all their essential belongings were thrown away. The man's wife also appears in the video. Pointing to her, the man says, "She too was beaten badly." However, the video has not been independently verified by UNIthand itr also does not have . Posting the video, the chief minister wrote, 'See how even a child is not spared from the cruelty of violence in the regime of linguistic terror unleashed by BJP in the country against the Bengalis! Where are they taking our country now?' The Trinamool Congress has stepped up its protest following reports of harassment faced by migrant workers from Bengal working in other states. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has also warned of a larger movement if harassment of migrant workers is not stopped. The allegation is that Bengali-speaking workers, suspected of being Bangladeshis, are being detained in BJP-ruled states like Odisha, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh—even after showing documents like Aadhaar and voter ID cards. In such cases, only a 'Police Clearance Certificate' (PCC) seems to secure their release; otherwise, they are being detained. The harassment of Bengali migrant workers in Delhi and Odisha has already reached the Calcutta High Court. Against this backdrop, the ruling party in West Bengal, Trinamool, has launched a 'language movement' against the BJP starting Sunday. Tomorow Mamata Banerjee is set to participate in the Nanur Dibas program in Birbhum and will also take part in a march. She is supposed to leave for Birbhum by road on Sunday evening. UNI XC SSP

SP MP demands rollback of school merger
SP MP demands rollback of school merger

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

SP MP demands rollback of school merger

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party MP from Machhlishahr Priya Saroj has written to the Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan demanding review of the policy of 'integration of schools' in Uttar Pradesh and cancellation of the merger process. In her letter, Saroj said that the policy of integration of schools was being followed in Uttar Pradesh, which seems to be against the basic spirit of the Right to Education Act (RTE Act). "Under RTE Act, there is a provision that every child between the age of 6 to 14 years should be provided free and compulsory education within one kilometre of the nearest primary school from residence. If no school is available within a radius of one kilometre, then it is the responsibility of the govt to ensure admission of the child in the nearest school," she said. She said the current policy of the UP govt was violating the spirit of the Act. "This is hindering access to school for many children, leading more dropouts. Jobs of 2.5 lakh teachers and school staff of UP are also at risk," she said.

‘Swami Karpatri true son of soil, Sanatan Dharm'
‘Swami Karpatri true son of soil, Sanatan Dharm'

Time of India

timean hour ago

  • Time of India

‘Swami Karpatri true son of soil, Sanatan Dharm'

Lucknow: Paying tribute to seer and revivalist Swami Karpatri Maharaj on his birth anniversary, former Union minister Shahnawaz Hussain remembered his contribution to Sanatan Dharm and demanded a nationwide ban on cow slaughter. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The programme, organised by Yuva Chetna at the Constitution Club in Delhi, was inaugurated by Swami Abhishek Brahmachari. BJP national general secretary , Union ministers Jayant Chaudhary and Shobha Karandlaje, former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, MP Neeraj Shekhar, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, BJP national spokesperson Sanjay Mayukh, and Yuva Chetna national convenor Rohit Kumar Singh were present. Swami Abhishek called Swami Karpatri the "true son of Sanatan Dharm and the country", lauding his contribution to religion and society. Arun Singh praised his efforts in preserving Indian culture, while Shobha Karandlaje criticized the Congress for opposing Sanatan Dharm. Ranjan Gogoi paid floral tributes while Neeraj Shekhar, Vijender Gupta, and Mayukh praised Swami Karpatri's legacy. Rohit Kumar Singh called him a cultural ambassador and vowed to expose Congress's "anti-national" policies. The event concluded with the felicitation of Justice Gogoi.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store