Photo credit: www.news18.com
Last Updated: April 25, 2025, 04:45 IST
Kesari Chapter 2 Director Karan Singh Tyagi Reflects on the Impact of Sardar Udham
Kesari Chapter 2 has achieved significant box office success, amassing over Rs 40 crore and maintaining a strong performance in theaters.
The film’s depiction of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre has sparked vital discussions about the historical treatment of Sikhs by the British. This thematic exploration has been further amplified by recent conversations involving Caroline Dyer, a descendant of General Dyer, who faced criticism for her remarks about the tragedy. The film begins with a poignant representation of the April 13, 1919, massacre.
Previously, Shoojit Sircar’s film Sardar Udham garnered attention for its emotional portrayal of the same historical event. Vicky Kaushal, who portrayed Udham Singh, has shared that recreating such a harrowing incident left a deep emotional impact on him. In an interview, Kesari Chapter 2’s director Karan Singh Tyagi acknowledged the influence of Sardar Udham on his work.
Tyagi expressed his admiration for Sircar’s film, stating, “Sardar Udham resonated with me on many levels. I’ve engaged with all cinematic representations of the Jallianwala Bagh incident. Prior to Sardar Udham, the film Gandhi meticulously depicted this tragedy, which left a profound impression on me. The climactic segment of Sardar Udham is one of the finest pieces of filmmaking I have experienced. It served as inspiration for my vision. I greatly respect Shoojit Sircar’s contributions to cinema.”
In an interesting twist, Vicky Kaushal received special acknowledgment in Kesari Chapter 2, lending his voice as the narrator. Tyagi clarifies that this choice was based on Kaushal’s talent rather than his connection to Sardar Udham. “Vicky’s narration opens the film and establishes its tone. Our decision was based on his exceptional skill and the depth his voice brings to the story, rather than his past associations. His involvement added an extra layer of seriousness to the narrative,” Karan explained.
When discussing his own film’s approach to portraying the massacre, Tyagi shared, “From the outset, we aimed to present the incident through the eyes of a young boy witnessing the loss of his family in real-time. Our intent was not to focus on the enormity of the tragedy but rather to immerse the audience in a personal, visceral experience of grief and trauma.”
He elaborated, “In a pivotal scene, we sought to contrast the lives of the boy and Shankar Nair. This juxtaposition of Nair’s moment of triumph—being knighted—against the boy’s devastating loss symbolizes the profound clash between two opposing narratives. Highlighting this contrast was essential to the story we aimed to tell.”
Source
www.news18.com