Chetan Bhagat praises 'Kesari Chapter 2', credits film for reigniting call for British apology on Jallianwala Bagh incident
The film has garnered effusive praise from author Chetan Bhagat, even as it faces serious accusations of plagiarism and historical inaccuracies.
Saying he 'walked out shaken' from the film, Chetan wrote that the film 'drags history out of textbooks and makes you feel it in your bones."
According to the makers, the film is based on Raghu and Pushpa Palat's book 'The Case That Shook The Empire'. An excerpt from Cinema Express' review notes that this 'text details C Sankaran Nair's defence against a defamation case' in London, filed by Michael O'Dwyer, Lieutenant Governor of Punjab during the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy.
The review further points out that while Sankaran Nair resigned from the Viceroy's council, contesting the massacre, and condemned the Raj, the film portrays him as a powerful figure, 'who filed a genocide case against the British in the Amritsar district court'—a claim unsupported by historical records.'
Despite such historical discrepancies, Chetan continued his commendation, acknowledging the cinematic liberties taken.
"Sure, the film takes cinematic liberties. There are imagined confrontations, dramatized moments, and even some revenge fantasy. Think Inglourious Basterds in Amritsar. But the core truth remains: over a thousand Indians were trapped and massacred in cold blood by British troops in 1919. That horror is real. That pain is generational. And that silence from Britain? Also very real," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
What is the viral 'turmeric trend' and why is everyone going gaga over it?
Move over, golden milk; the internet's obsession has shifted to an even more mesmerizing form of turmeric magic. There's a fresh burst of golden magic lighting up social feeds: the turmeric glow trend. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This viral 'turmeric trend' involves placing a pinch of turmeric in a glass of water atop a phone flashlight (or video light), turning off the lights, and watching a golden, glowing swirl unfold – like liquid sunshine. With zero fuss and maximum wow, it's become a delightful DIY science demo, calming sensory delight, and shareable content goldmine. The effect is simple yet captivating – combining childhood wonder and a touch of cultural nostalgia. But what exactly is behind the glow – and why is it taking over social media? Let's unravel! The science behind the magic The secret to turmeric's luminous allure lies in curcumin, the bright yellow pigment in the common yet popular kitchen spice, turmeric. When dissolved or suspended in water and illuminated from beneath, it refracts and scatters light – a phenomenon known as the Tyndall effect. Think of it as a miniaturized, golden lava lamp created with just spice, water, and a flashlight. It's science disguised as magic – accessible, mesmerizing, and wholly shareable. The ripple effect on social media: The 'turmeric trend' has inspired not just wide‑eyed reactions but also vibrant memes ('liquid gold!'), reusable content loops featuring children's delight, and even comedic pet reactions. It's the perfect blend of family-safe fun, shareable content, and a mental break from relentless news and high-octane trends. While a video of a baby boy's priceless reaction to the 'turmeric trend' experiment has clocked over millions of views so far, another viral video shows how this trend went wrong when it was performed to capture the reaction of a dog – providing us with a dose of laughter nevertheless! And it's not just science nerds getting in on the fun bandwagon. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Meme-makers have jumped aboard, too. From jokes about turmeric disappearing from store shelves to posts calling it 'liquid gold,' the trend has sparked a good laugh and a lot of learning. Why the internet is going gaga over ' liquid gold ' At its core, the 'turmeric trend' is all about the effortless DIY appeal – no lab coats or gadgets needed – just a kitchen staple, water, and your phone. And the glow attracts everyone – kids gasp, pets stare, parents laugh, and even bored teens find it oddly calming. With bite-sized TikToks, Instagram Reels, and WhatsApp statuses featuring viral music and baby giggles, the trend fits perfectly in today's scroll-styled content feeds. Moreover, turmeric has already earned a reputation as a wellness staple – credited for anti‑inflammatory, antioxidant, digestive, and skin benefits. Even though the 'Magical Splash' is purely visual, it taps into turmeric's broader 'good-for-you' status. YoKamalaSoIndian: What Indians had to say on Twitter
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
'Akshay Kumar was the first actor to interfere in my casting, he wanted Kareena Kapoor in the film because…' claims this producer
The producer also said, 'Sometimes, as the actors grow old they want to star against younger actresses so that their own age looks less.' read more Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor have done several films together- Ajnabee, Talaash, Dosti, Aitraaz, Good Newwz, and Kambakkht Ishq, to name a few. Producer Pahlaj Nihalani has now spoken to a channel called Learn From The Legend, and revealed how the actor wished to have the actress on board for their film Talaash that came out in 2003. Nihalani revealed, 'Earlier, producers and directors used to cast and heroes wouldn't interfere in casting. The first actor to interfere in casting with me was Akshay Kumar in Talash in 2002. He told me that 'we can start the movie tomorrow, and you can give me any amount that you want, but the heroine of this film will be Kareena Kapoor.' It was one of the most costly films of that time, it was made in Rs 22 crore. This was the first time in my career that an actor had demanded a certain cast.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The producer also said, 'Sometimes, as the actors grow old they want to star against younger actresses so that their own age looks less. That was the first time I heard that, but these days actors decide everything and producers work as a courier service.' The first half of Bollywood has been a rollercoaster with back-to-back releases. It's been a mixed bag at the box office with a string of projects emerging as hits, and several films tanking. Amid this volatility, Akshay Kumar starrer releases soared past the ongoing unpredictability. In addition to Sky Force, Kesari Chapter 2, and Housefull 5, a string of other releases like Chhaava, Raid 2, and Sitaare Zameen Par entered the hit club. With three major hit releases in a span of six months, Akshay Kumar is shaping the evolving dynamics of Bollywood. His first release of the year, 'Sky Force' collected Rs.131.44 crore, followed by the cinematic masterpiece 'Kesari Chapter 2' with an impressive collection of Rs.93.28 crore and his latest release 'Housefull 5' earning Rs.156.40 crore, and is still continuing its theatrical run.
Indian Express
4 hours ago
- Indian Express
Kaun Banega Crorepati turns 25: ‘Show endured because Amitabh Bachchan stayed loyal to it, Star cancelled it after Shah Rukh Khan's season,' recalls Sameer Nair
When Sameer Nair became the head of programming at StarPlus, it had just become a Hindi-language entertainment channel. After eight years of broadcasting international shows since the cusp of liberalization in 1992, StarPlus had decided to enter the new millennium with a new identity: become a Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC) and compete with what was hitherto its Hindi counterpart, Zee TV. 'We were partners with Zee before, then we'd gone independent so the mandate was: Fight back!,' recalls Nair, in an exclusive interview with SCREEN. However, that was an uphill battle since Zee TV dominated the TRPs, followed closely by Sony, and StarPlus at a distant third. 'For numbers' sake, let's say Zee was at 12 rating, Sony was at 11, and Star was at 1. That was the landscape then,' says Nair. Which is when Nair and his team officially acquired the adaptation rights of the popular British show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Amitabh Bachchan, once a tour de force at the movies, was a fading movie star at 58. He was delivering duds like Lal Baadshah, Sooryavansham, Hindustan Ki Kasam, and Kohram in 1999 before he was approached to host the quiz show Kaun Banega Crorepati. 'When we first went to him, it was a complicated because it was TV and he was a film star,' says Nair. The naysayers included Amitabh's wife and veteran actor Jaya Bachchan herself, who felt that 'it was somewhere not correct to shrink him to the small screen.' In order to convince himself, Amitabh even visited the sets of the original British show in London before finally giving his nod to host KBC. 'Once he took to the show, he stayed loyal to it. Mr. Bachchan is the only one who's been doing it since then, till now,' points out Nair, adding, 'The love of the audience for Mr. Bachchan has been really enduring. When we first did KBC, there was no Google. Which means you had to really wait through the break to get the correct answer. But even now, when he asks the question, you can Google it, yet you don't. Because you want to watch the show, the drama, and the playout the way it's intended.' The historic inaugural season of KBC not only catapulted StarPlus' dwindling ratings, but also reinstated Amitabh's film career. The quiz show made him reach every household again and lent his image a much-needed makeover. He went on to star in hits like Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein (2000), Karan Johar's Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… (2001), Vipul Shah's Aankhen (2002), BR Chopra's Baghban (2003), Yash Chopra's Veer-Zaara (2004), Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black (2005), Shaad Ali's Bunty Aur Babli (2005), and Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar (2005). Despite his extraordinarily remarkable second innings in the movies, Amitabh remained grateful and loyal to KBC by returning to host the second season of the quiz show in 2005. But Amitabh's sudden, prolonged illness in 2006 halted production as he couldn't shoot for the remainder of 24 episodes. There was no contestant who could thus win the top prize of Rs 2 crore that season. Bachchan reportedly declined the third season in 2007, prompting StarPlus to reach out to Shah Rukh Khan as the replacement. Khan, who had worked with Amitabh in Mohabbatein, K3G, and Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), had already filled in Amitabh's shoes by reprising the character made famous by him in Chandra Barot's Don (1978) in its 2006 official remake helmed by Farhan Akhtar. But even Khan couldn't summon the same interest as Amitabh did in the first two seasons of KBC. The show's ratings dropped significantly, forcing StarPlus to pull the plug on it after season 3. Three years later, Sony Entertainment Television revived the quiz show for its fourth season, with Amitabh returning as the host. The show has successfully run till its 16th season last year, and has been renewed for the 17th this year. Amitabh Bachchan has simultaneously maintained his stronghold both in films and on KBC as its recurring host ever since. Nair, whose tenure at StarPlus ended with the discontinuation of KBC in 2007, is now the Chief Executive Officer of Applause Entertainment. He lauds his then-competitor for keeping KBC alive at a time when its original home had given up on it. 'The credit also goes to Sony for reviving it. We did two seasons with Mr. Bachchan and one with Shah Rukh, and then we let go. They took it forward and really built it in the last 10 years so that we could get to the 25th anniversary,' he says.
