Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is set to return with another high-profile historical drama as his upcoming film, previously titled Shankara , has now been renamed Kesari Chapter 2 , as per sources. Co-starring R Madhavan and Ananya Panday, the film is produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, Cape Of Good Films and Leo Media Collective and will release theatrically on March 14, 2025, coinciding with the Holi festival. Interestingly, this announcement carries an uncanny resemblance to Kesari (2019), another Dharma-backed period drama that starred Akshay Kumar in the lead role and was also released on Holi.
While the 2019 film was based on the Battle of Saragarhi, Kesari Chapter 2 delves into an entirely different historical event. Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, Kesari Chapter 2 chronicles the compelling story of C Sankaran Nair, a renowned lawyer and freedom fighter who took on the British Raj in his relentless pursuit of justice for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre victims. The film is inspired by the book ‘ The Case That Shook The Empire’ by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat.
While the film was initially titled Shankara , the name change to Kesari Chapter 2 suggests a thematic connection to the earlier blockbuster. This move is also expected to generate immense curiosity among audiences, particularly Akshay’s fans who fondly remember Kesari as one of his most impactful performances. A source told Bollywood Hungama , “ Kesari , an emotional action film, was about the .