‘Ananya Panday kamzor nazar nahi aati': Gajraj Rao reviews Kesari Chapter 2; gets reactions from her, Akshay, Madhavan
Actor Gajraj Rao penned several notes as he reviewed Kesari Chapter 2, showering praises on the cast and crew of the film. Taking to Instagram recently, Gajraj called Akshay Kumar's performance in the film "one of his bests". Talking about Ananya Panday, he defended her saying that she doesn't appear "kamzor (weak)". (Also Read | Shashi Tharoor praises Kesari Chapter 2, but feels C Sankaran Nair 'would never use the words Akshay Kumar uses')
Praising the film, Gajraj said, "Loved every bit of it. An extraordinary screenplay packed with sharp, powerful dialogues. The cinematography is breathtaking, the production design top-notch, editing razor-sharp, and the music--absolutely soulful. These pillars hold the film strong and steady throughout."
He spoke about how Akshay, as lawyer C Sankaran Nair, left him "vichlit (shaken)". 'Yeh Akshay Kumar ki best performances mein se ek hai...Sir Sankaran Nair ko inhone itihas ke panno se nikal kar screen par zinda khada kar diya hai...Sherdil bhi nazar aate hain our vulnerable bhi. Interval se pahle lajawab kaam kiya hai bina kuch zyada bole, aur climax main unka abhinay vichlit kar deta hai. Well done, Akshay Paaji (This is one of Akshay Kumar's best performances... He has taken Sir Sankaran Nair out of the pages of history and mad him alive on screen. He seems lion-hearted as well as vulnerable. Before the interval, he has done an amazing job, without saying much, and in the climax, his acting shook me).'
A post shared by Gajraj Rao (@gajrajrao)
Lauding R Madhavan, Gajraj wrote that he "proves yet again--some actors don't age, they evolve. Smooth, steady, and always impactful". Gajraj praised Ananya's acting skills. "Do diggaj kalakaron ke beech Ananya Panday, kahin bhi kamzor nazar nahi aatin. Unka abhinay bahut ummeed jagata hai (Between two veteran artists, Ananya Panday doesn't look weak anywhere. Her acting gives a lot of hope)."
Gajraj also showered praise on the other cast members, including Regina Cassandra, Simon Paisley Day, Alexandra Moloney, Mark Bennington, Steven Hartley, Rohan Verma, Moumita Pal, Krish Rao, Atul Kumar, and Amit Sial, saying that they "all bring depth and dignity to their roles". "The British characters are perfectly cast, and every Indian supporting role is played with sincerity. Kudos to the casting team for a job done exceptionally well," he added.
Gajraj wrote that director Karan Singh Tyagi "hits it out of the park—direction so assured, it doesn't feel like a debut." He 'saluted' Karan Johar and Adar Poonawalla "for backing a story that isn't formulaic—no masala, no shortcuts, just solid storytelling."
He concluded the post, "Please watch this saga in theatres, on the big screen — don't wait for it to come to your homes. Some stories deserve to be experienced loud and proud."
Reacting to the post, Akshay wrote, "Gajraj sir, genuinely overwhelmed by your love and generosity. Thank you for seeing the soul of our story. Truly grateful." Ananya commented, "Thank you sir (folded hands emoji)."
Madhavan said, "You're such a Jim in the fraternity for taking such a lot of effort for the kind words. God bless you, sir. You yourself are a powerhouse of talent and I can't wait to share screen with you."
Kesari Chapter 2 is based on The Case That Shook The Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat. The film delves into the life of lawyer C Sankaran Nair and the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
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