Akshay Kumar's Kesari 2 hits ₹100cr, yet lags behind original's explosive success

Akshay Kumar’s film Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh has surpassed the ₹100 crore mark in worldwide box office collections, making it Kumar’s second release this year to achieve this milestone. According to data from box office tracking platform Sacnilk, the film’s gross collection in India is estimated to be around ₹78 crore as of Monday, while its overseas earnings are projected to be approximately ₹27 crore.

With just 43 shows, Chennai recorded the highest theatre occupancy for Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, with over 52.25%. Chennai was followed by Bangalore at 45.25% and Pune at 34.5%. On its 10th day, the film saw varied occupancy levels across different time slots, registering 13.51% during morning shows, 33.98% in the afternoon, 41.74% in the evening, and 26.86% during night shows.

Kesari 2 marks Akshay Kumar’s second consecutive film to cross the ₹100 crore milestone worldwide, following Sky Force, which was released during the Republic Day weekend and grossed around ₹150 crore.

However, Kesari 2 is expected to surpass Sky Force in the long run. Sky Force recorded a worldwide collection of ₹149 crore, and by the end of its second week, it had amassed a net collection of ₹105.55 crore in India. While Kesari 2 has performed steadily, it has not yet matched the success of the original Kesari, which achieved an impressive worldwide collection of ₹208.8 crore.

According to Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India, Kesari 2 stands out from other films in the patriotism genre by blending a persistent new-age core with its nationalistic themes, which ultimately shifts the focus away from its essence of nationalism. While the film succeeds in provoking reactions from viewers seeking a more contemporary outlet for patriotic sentiments, it also aims to elicit responses akin to those of General Dyer's stance.

Desai adds that films like Kesari 2 are often not fully transparent or easily seen through, suggesting that their impact lies more in the emotional reaction they provoke than in their nuanced messaging.