FIR against makers of Akshay Kumar's Kesari Chapter 2 for 'distorting' Bengal's freedom movement, TMC calls it 'insult'

Hindustan Times

19-06-2025

West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday attacked the makers of Bollywood film Kesari Chapter 2, accusing them of distorting the history of the state's contribution to India's freedom struggle and insulting Bengali revolutionaries.
An FIR has been filed against seven producers of Kesari Chapter 2 under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Bidhannagar South police station.
The controversy erupted over a scene in the movie that allegedly misrepresents key freedom fighters from Bengal — notably the iconic Bengali revolutionaries Khudiram Bose and Barindra Kumar Ghosh.
According to the TMC, the film refers to Khudiram Bose as 'Khudiram Singh' and presents Barindra Kumar Ghosh as 'Birendra Kumar' from Amritsar.
Calling it a 'deliberate distortion of history' and a 'deep insult to Bengal,' senior TMC leaders Kunal Ghosh and Arup Chakraborty addressed a press conference at the party headquarters, condemning the portrayal.
Ghosh said, 'The names of Bengali revolutionaries who sacrificed their lives for India's freedom were being distorted. This is not just a mistake — this is a conspiracy to erase Bengal's role in the freedom movement. How did such a film get a censor certificate?'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, without naming the movie, also slammed the filmmakers charging them with trying to undermine the contributions of freedom fighters from Bengal, in collusion with the BJP.
"There are attempts to undermine the role played by the Bengali revolutionaries during the independence struggle. We condemn this. The BJP has been targeting Bengal and our cultural heritage," she said.
The TMC alleged that the Centre's BJP-led government has repeatedly attempted to undermine Bengal's history and cultural identity.
'This is not the first time. The central government has often played games with Bengal's legacy and dignity. But this time, the limit has been crossed,' claimed Ghosh.
The film, directed by Karan Singh Tyagi and based on the book The Case That Shook the Empire by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat, allegedly altered the identities of multiple historical figures. Actor Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan, and Ananya Panday are among the film's cast.
Apart from Khudiram Bose and Barindra Kumar Ghosh, the film is also said to misrepresent Hemchandra Kanungo, the revolutionary who trained the young men in bomb-making. The filmmakers allegedly replaced his character with a fictional figure named Kripal Singh, Ghosh claimed.
TMC leaders have demanded immediate action from the Centre and questioned the role of the censor board. 'Why didn't the censor board flag these historical distortions? Who allowed such a film to pass certification?' they asked.
The BJP, however, claimed that the TMC is trying to make an issue out of a non-issue. "At times in feature films, we have seen the names of characters have been changed. So, how is the BJP related to all of this? We are all aware how much honour the TMC has shown to our freedom fighters," BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya said.
Noted Bengali actor Ritwick Chakraborty also criticised the filmmakers for not giving due attention to facts and details. "I don't know whether I should call it a bad research team or a poor screenplay. It is quite obvious that attempts were made to undermine the role of Bengali revolutionaries," Chakraborty said.
A section of Bengali viewers has also taken to social media to express anger and demand accountability.