Karan Johar is going all out to promote Kesari Chapter 2 as Akshay Kumar’s “best performance so far” and his “proudest film till date.” But whereas Johar’s zeal is evident, the ground reality on the response of the audience is lukewarm.
The historical drama on the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and barrister C. Sankaran Nair’s legal fight against the British has a strong story to tell. However, there are serious doubts regarding its box office prospects.
One of the concerns is Akshay Kumar’s recent spate of box-office flops. With one after another flop such as Selfiee, Raksha Bandhan, and Samrat Prithviraj, the audiences seem to be doubting his capability to make hits.
Even Akshay accepted that his decision-making has been wrong, stating, “Do not blame the audience or anyone else. It is my fault, 100%”.
In addition, the dramatic and specialized category of historical courtroom dramas may not appeal to mass audiences who tend to enjoy lighter or more action-oriented material.
Although the teaser has been rewarded for both intensity and its emotional resonance, history-based stories tend not to get mass people excited unless complemented by robust star power or engaging material.
Johar’s attempt to make the film under a name, Kesari Chapter 2, tying it in with the popular 2019 war film Kesari, is an evident attempt at franchising familiarity.
Whether this succeeds in overcoming consumer fatigue, however, is to be seen. The true test will be to see if Akshay Kumar is able to get out of his slump and deliver a movie worthy of Johar’s boasts.
