Karan Johar reacts to General Dyer granddaughter’s remarks amid Kesari: Chapter 2 release - 'Boiled my blood'

The granddaughter of General Reginald Dyer—the man responsible for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre—has recently made certain remarks, and Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar have spoken out vehemently against them. The team of the historical drama Kesari: Chapter 2 discussed the contentious comment that the massacre's victims were called "looters" before the film's April 18 theatrical release.

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Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar condemn insensitive remark

Akshay Kumar, who plays freedom fighter and lawyer C. Sankaran Nair, condemned the remark for being insensitive. The film is based on Nair's historic legal fight against the British Empire, which he accused of planning the horrific Amritsar massacre that killed 1,650 people. The chapter was also covered on Ram Madhvani's series The Waking of a Nation. 

Even Johar, who has supported films like Raazi and The Ghazi Attack that delve into real-life stories, was not shy about expressing his frustration.

The filmmaker said at an event that the film will anger people, not just Indians or humanitarians, but anyone with a little sensitivity. He said, "How ridiculous was she to say that, and how dare she?" The innocent bystanders she meant were there on Baisakhi, thinking something else would happen. She was accusing them of being looters. General Dyer admitted that he only stopped shooting when the bullets ran out.

Karan Johar calls for accountability and apology

In the next interview, she said he was the most compassionate and loved everything about India. If someone acts hatefully, how can they truly love? She is completely oblivious and lives in her own little fantasy world. Not only does Johar not know her, but he has never met her and has no desire to. The filmmaker expressed that the mere fact that she uttered those words deeply offended him. Her contempt for the largest atrocity the nation has ever seen only increased his desire for an apology.

Karan remarked, emphasising the significance of sharing untold stories like C. Sankaran Nair's, that he has heard stories of true valour and bravery of unsung heroes various times. Historical records have preserved these tales, preventing their depiction on film. Some of the stories that came to mind included Raazi, which proved that audiences can connect with and be moved by true stories. Kesari and The Ghazi Attack were also there.

Johar went on to say that, based on the novel The Case That Shook the Empire, this is a fantastic tale about C. Shankaran Nair. The massacre was known to people, but the details were unknown to everyone. People feel anguish and fury whenever they view the tragedy. Even now, the lack of an apology continues to make them angry. No one from the British government, monarchy, or crown has ever expressed regret. The nation bravely emerged from the British Raj, but they are due an apology, and the film demands it.

Akshay Kumar stresses the importance of history lessons

On the other hand, Akshay said that the suffering of one nation teaches another how to persevere. History is history— she kept insisting, but she never got it. The actor valued Johar's words and the manner in which he expressed them.

General Dyer is an honourable man, greatly liked by the Indians, who speaks three or four Indian languages, which very few people do; his granddaughter previously defended him in an interview with a relative of a massacre victim. Then she went on to wonder, "Was he a looter?" She believes that the past is the past and that one must accept it.

The team at Kesari: Chapter 2 hopes to continue the discussion on historical accountability while also shedding light on a significant but underrecognized part of India's freedom movement. On April 18, the film will hit cinemas.