Kesari Chapter 2 director says it was ‘important' to use f-word in Akshay Kumar film: ‘The whole point was to…'

Hindustan Times

22-04-2025

Karan Singh Tyagi made his grand directorial debut with the Karan Johar-backed film Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh. The film generated significant buzz following the release of its teaser, which featured Akshay Kumar using the f-word. Now, in an interview with Filmy Shilmy, Karan has responded to the stir, revealing that the team conducted thorough research and consulted historians before including the phrase in the film. (Also Read: Kesari Chapter 2 worldwide box office collection day 4: Akshay Kumar film beats Deva lifetime haul with ₹56 crore)
Karan explained, 'It was very important for us to include the 'f**k you' in the film because, for us, the whole point was to look the British in the eye and say 'f**k you' for what they had done. That was the courage we imbibed from Sankaran Nair's story, and it's the same courage we wanted to depict.'
When asked whether the phrase was historically accurate, the filmmaker said, 'The term originated in the 16th century. We did our research, we spoke to historians, and conducted all necessary background checks.'
Earlier, during the trailer launch, Akshay Kumar also addressed his character, C Sankaran Nair, using the expletive in the teaser. He told the media, 'Yes, I used that word. But what's surprising is that you noticed this, yet the phrase 'you are still a slave' wasn't seen as a major insult? I think there's no greater insult than that. I would have been happier if you had pointed out the use of the word 'slave' rather than focusing on 'f**k you.''
Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh is a historical courtroom drama produced by Dharma Productions, Leo Media Collective, and Cape of Good Films. The film stars Akshay Kumar as Advocate C. Sankaran Nair, who challenged the British Empire to uncover the truth behind the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
R Madhavan portrays Advocate Neville McKinley, Ananya Panday plays Dilreet Gill, Regina Cassandra essays the role of Parvathy Nair (Sankaran's wife), and Simon Paisley Day stars as General Reginald Dyer.
The film opened to a positive response from audiences, critics, and industry peers alike. In just four days, it surpassed the lifetime collection of Shahid Kapoor's Deva, earning ₹56 crore worldwide, and continues its dream run at the box office.