Akshay Kumar’s theatrical comeback with Kesari Chapter 2 has all the ingredients of a good film—engaging storytelling, a forgotten chapter of Indian history and good early reviews.
But while the performance is getting good reviews, the pre-release buzz is surprisingly low. Is critical acclaim enough to bring people back to the theatres?
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Advance booking numbers are modest. As of Wednesday afternoon, the film had collected around ₹12.6 lakh from just over 4,000 tickets across 1,948 shows.
Delhi-NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru are showing the best numbers so far but the momentum is missing. Analysts are predicting an opening in the ₹6-8 crore range—good but not great.
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Here’s the twist: the reviews are excellent. In fact many early viewers and critics are calling Kesari Chapter 2 even better than Chhaava.
The courtroom drama is being praised for its emotional depth, historical relevance and strong performances. Akshay Kumar’s C. Shankaran Nair is being hailed as one of his best performances in years.
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Despite good feedback, the buzz hasn’t caught fire. The film feels more like a slow-burn prestige drama than a massy crowd-puller.
There’s a growing feeling among audiences that such serious, content-driven films are better suited for streaming platforms.
And given Akshay’s recent string of socially charged films, some fatigue might be affecting audience enthusiasm even when the content delivers this time.
With the current trend, the film is relying heavily on word-of-mouth. If the good reviews continue and weekend footfalls grow, Kesari Chapter 2 can still turn into a sleeper hit.
But if the hesitation persists, it might become another critically acclaimed film that gets ignored at the box office.
The verdict is out: Will Kesari Chapter 2 win the audience’s verdict or will it join the list of underappreciated gems? The next few days will decide.
