The awaited courtroom drama, ‘Kesari Chapter 2,’ hit theatres on April 18. Led by Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan, and Ananya Panday, the film has Karan Singh Tyagi at the helm. The film hinges on the tragic incident of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and channels years of burning rage. The title aims to present another side to the dark chapter of national history. In the trailer as well as the film, when a voiceover states, “You are still a slave to the British Empire,” Akshay Kumar silences him with “F**k You.” This created a stir. Now, director Karan Singh Tyagi has revealed why it was important for the film.

In a conversation with Filmy Shilmy, director Karan Singh Tyagi revealed why it was important to incorporate the f-word in ‘Kesari Chapter 2.’ “It was very important for us to include the ‘f**k you’ in the film because, for us, the whole point was to look the British in the eye and say ‘f**k you’ for what they had done. That was the courage we imbibed from Sankaran Nair’s story, and it’s the same courage we wanted to depict.”

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When the interviewer probed whether the phrase was historically accurate, the director revealed thorough research.  “The term originated in the 16th century. We did our research, we spoke to historians, and conducted all necessary background checks.”

Previously, during the trailer launch, Akshay Kumar also addressed his character the stir. He told the media, “Yes, I used that word. But what’s surprising is that you noticed this, yet the phrase ‘you are still a slave’ wasn’t seen as a major insult? I think there’s no greater insult than that. I would have been happier if you had pointed out the use of the word ‘slave’ rather than focusing on ‘f**k you.’”

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Meanwhile, the film draws inspiration from the book ‘The Case That Shook The Empire,’ by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat. In the film, Kumar stars as the fearless lawyer, Sir C Sankaran Nair, who sues the crown for genocide. However, going against the British Empire is nothing less than a herculean task. He faces the empire’s formidable lawyer, Neville McKinley, played by R Madhavan. As the two lock horns in the courtroom, history changes its face. Joining them in this intense showdown is Ananya Panday as Dilreet Gill, a female lawyer striving to break stereotypes.