Debutant director Karan Singh Tyagi’s Kesari 2 has been liked by critics and fans alike. A spiritual sequel of Akshay Kumar’s Kesari, the story of the film picks up after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It focuses on barrister C Sankaran Nair’s bold legal fight to expose the British government’s role in the 1919 massacre and seek justice for the victims. It’s a mix of history, law and quiet rebellion. The film stars Akshay Kumar, along with R Madhavan and Ananya Panday in key roles.
While the film and the performances have been lauded by the audience, some netizens felt that Ananya was a misfit as lawyer Dilreet Gill. In an exclusive conversation with Filmfare, the director spoke about casting Ananya and why he felt that the actress was the perfect choice for the role. He told us, “I remember watching Ananya Panday in Gehraiyaan. I was moved by her sensitive acting in that movie. I thought she was good. And she has a vulnerable side to her, and at the same time, she has a steely resolve. So, there are these two characteristics which were very important for Dilreet Gill’s part. She’s very good in the film. She worked very hard and went through extensive dialect classes for over a year. She shadowed a female lawyer and also went to the Bombay High Court to just witness a lawyer putting forth his arguments. What we are seeing on screen is the result of her hard work.”
Asked whether he has anything to say to the people who have criticised Ananya’s casting, Tyagi replied, “To the people who have not liked her performance, I would just say that we take your criticism with folded hands and we’ll work harder the next time. But I humbly disagree. I feel with all respect and all humility that she is very good as Dilreet Gill. It’s a very tough role and she’s championed it beautifully.”
Kesari 2 is currently running in theatres.
