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Akshay Kumar’s Kesari Chapter 2 opens at Rs 7.5 crore, falling short of Sky Force’s Rs 12.25 crore day-one collection.
Kesari Chapter 2 (Photo Credits: Instagram)
Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, starring Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday, was one of the most anticipated Bollywood releases of the year. Directed by debutant Karan Singh Tyagi, the historical courtroom drama opened to positive reviews and decent box office numbers on Day 1.
As per early estimates by Sacnilk, Kesari Chapter 2 collected slightly over Rs 7.5 crore on its opening day. The film witnessed an overall 17.40% Hindi occupancy on Friday. Morning shows began with an occupancy of 12.67%, while the numbers rose to 19.76% for afternoon and evening screenings, indicating a modest upward trend through the day.
Despite the strong word-of-mouth and a compelling historical backdrop, the film failed to surpass the opening day earnings of Akshay Kumar’s previous outing, Sky Force, which had garnered Rs 12.25 crore on its release day in January.
Kesari Chapter 2 revisits the harrowing events surrounding the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Akshay Kumar plays C. Sankaran Nair, a lawyer who challenged the British Raj in court, demanding the truth be told. R. Madhavan essays the role of Advocate Neville McKinley, while Ananya Panday portrays journalist Dilreet Gill.
The film has been praised for its powerful performances and compelling narrative. A review excerpt from News18 reads, “Akshay as Sankaran Nair has a towering presence. Inarguably, his last few acting outfits didn’t give his fans the chance to see the best of him. The only exception was Sudha Kongara’s Sarfira, which offered glimpses of the extraordinary actor lying underneath that stardom. And with Kesari Chapter 2, Akshay takes it up a notch. Here, he completely sheds off his image and aura as a superstar and chooses to lean on his acting prowess. He truly is top-notch in the film.”
Produced by Dharma Productions, Leo Media Collective, and Cape of Good Films, Kesari Chapter 2 could see a boost in box office numbers over the weekend if positive audience feedback continues to drive footfalls.