All eyes on Kesari 2: Can Akshay Kumar stage a box office comeback after a string of mixed openings?

Akshay Kumar, once the undisputed king of consistency at the box office, has seen a rollercoaster ride post-pandemic when it comes to Day 1 earnings. While some of his releases still manage to rake in double digits, the inconsistency in opening day numbers is raising eyebrows—and expectations—from his upcoming historical drama, Kesari 2.
Here’s a closer look at how his films have fared on Day 1 since the pandemic:
As seen, the numbers swing from sub-Rs3 crore lows to Rs15 crore highs, with no guaranteed formula working. In this landscape, Kesari 2 becomes crucial—not just as a film, but as a statement.
Backed by Karan Johar's Dharma Productions and directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, Kesari 2 is not a direct sequel but a spiritual follow-up to 2019’s Kesari, which chronicled the Battle of Saragarhi. This time, the story dives into one of the darkest chapters of Indian colonial history: the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
Based on Raghu and Pushpa Palat’s acclaimed book The Case That Shook the Empire, the film explores the legal battle that followed the 1919 tragedy, with Akshay Kumar portraying the lawyer Sir C Sankaran Nair who dares to take on the British Empire. The film also stars R. Madhavan and Ananya Panday in pivotal roles, promising a powerful blend of gravitas and freshness in the cast.
For Akshay Kumar, Kesari 2 is more than just another release. It’s a chance to return to the kind of stirring, patriotic storytelling that worked wonders for him in films like Kesari, Baby, and Airlift. And for the audience, it's an opportunity to witness a part of history that hasn't been fully explored on the big screen.
Moreover, with the rise of content-driven period dramas and a visible appetite for strong storytelling—think Sam Bahadur, The Kashmir Files, and Article 370—Kesari 2 is well-positioned to tap into the public sentiment, provided it strikes the right emotional chord.
With the right promotional push, a solid trailer, and the weight of history behind it, Kesari 2 could very well be Akshay’s shot at reclaiming box office dominance. Early industry chatter suggests a strong opening is likely, especially if the film connects with both multiplex and single-screen audiences.
But more than just numbers, Kesari 2 might represent something bigger for Akshay: a reset, a reaffirmation, and a reminder that when it comes to patriotism and purpose-driven cinema, few do it better than him.