Karan Johar says 'Kesari 2' is born out of anger due to the overdue apology from the British Empire over the Jallianwala Bagh massacre

Filmmaker Karan Johar recently attended the trailer launch event of 'Kesari 2' in Delhi on Thursday (April 3) and shared the significance of its release date, April 13, a date etched in history due to the tragic Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919.
Accompanied by actors Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, and Ananya Panday, Johar described the massacre as an act of genocide and reiterated that 'Kesari 2' demands an overdue apology from the British Empire.
A Film about Jallianwala Bagh massacre
Discussing the historical context, Johar noted that Britain had never issued a formal apology for the massacre. "13 April ko ye jo Jallianwala Bagh hatyakand tha, ye hua tha. Aur bahot log... tab bhi reports aaye the... use Khooni Baisakhi ke naam se bulate the. Us din jo hua tha vo koi celebration nahi tha, vo dardnaak tha. Vo hatyakand tha, genocide tha," he stated.
He further elaborated that the film was not made to evoke joy or sorrow but rather as an expression of anger at the lack of accountability. “The film we made is neither driven by joy nor sorrow; it is fuelled by anger. Because the answer we have waited centuries for has still not come— that apology has never been given to this day," Johar remarked.
The filmmaker underscored that the emotions surrounding the Jallianwala Bagh tragedy still resonate deeply with the people of India. He revealed that the movie is set for an April 13 release, aligning with the historical event’s remembrance.
A Demand for Acknowledgement
Johar stated that the film is being released this month to honour the memories of those lost and the lasting pain of Jallianwala Bagh, emphasising that it is not just a tribute but a demand for an apology through the story of Sankaran Nair.
Despite widespread condemnation of the massacre, Britain has never officially apologised for the tragedy. In 2019, on its centenary, then-UK Prime Minister Theresa May expressed “deep regret” over the event, referring to it as a “distressing example” of colonial history.

A Story of Legal Defiance
Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, 'Kesari 2' sheds light on the life of renowned lawyer S. Sankaran Nair, who stood against the British Raj and challenged General Reginald Dyer in court. The film recounts his relentless pursuit of justice after British forces fired upon unarmed civilians, killing over 1,500 and injuring thousands more.