History isn't just a bunch of dusty dates. It's blood. It's noise. It's the kind of stuff that keeps you up at night if you actually stop to think about it. For a lot of people, the story of the Sikh soldiers at Saragarhi ended with the 2019 film Kesari. But there’s been a massive buzz surrounding Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh.
People want to know if Akshay Kumar is coming back. They want to know if this is a direct sequel or a spiritual successor. Honestly, the term "sequel" feels a bit weird when you’re talking about a massacre that changed the course of world history.
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre happened on April 13, 1919. It wasn't some localized skirmish. It was a cold, calculated act of state violence. While the first Kesari focused on the incredible bravery of 21 Sikhs against 10,000 Afghans, this "Chapter 2" narrative shifts the lens toward the home front. It’s about what those soldiers were actually fighting for—and how the empire they served eventually turned its guns on their families.
The Connection Between Saragarhi and Jallianwala Bagh
You can't talk about one without the other. Not really.
The soldiers at Saragarhi in 1897 were part of the British Indian Army. They fought with a level of ferocity that the British military establishment praised for decades. Fast forward twenty-two years. The Great War had just ended. Thousands of Punjabi soldiers returned home from the trenches of Europe, expecting the "Self-Rule" they had been promised.
Instead? They got the Rowlatt Act.
Basically, it was a law that allowed the government to jail anyone without a trial. It was a slap in the face to every soldier who had bled for the Crown. This is the thematic bridge that Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh explores. It’s the crushing realization that loyalty was a one-way street.
General Reginald Dyer didn't see heroes when he entered that walled garden in Amritsar. He saw "rebels." He saw people who needed to be taught a "moral lesson." It’s terrifying.
What Really Happened on April 13, 1919?
The facts are brutal.
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It was Baisakhi. The city was crowded. Thousands of people had gathered in the Bagh—a large open space surrounded by walls. Some were there to protest the arrest of leaders like Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal. Others were just families, pilgrims, and locals enjoying the festival.
Dyer arrived with his troops. He didn't give a warning. He didn't tell them to disperse. He just blocked the only narrow exit and ordered his men to fire.
They fired for ten minutes straight.
1,650 rounds.
The official British death toll was 379, but Indian National Congress estimates put it well over 1,000. People jumped into a deep well—now called the Martyr’s Well—just to escape the bullets. They drowned while trying to survive. When you watch a cinematic retelling like Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, these aren't just script points. They are scars on the collective memory of a nation.
Why the Cinema Focuses on Udham Singh
If there is a "hero" arc in this chapter of history, it usually leads to Sardar Udham Singh.
Udham Singh was reportedly at the Bagh that day. He saw the carnage. He spent the next twenty-one years of his life fueled by a singular, burning purpose: revenge. In 1940, he walked into Caxton Hall in London and shot Michael O'Dwyer, who was the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab at the time of the massacre.
Filmmakers love this story because it provides a sense of closure. History, however, is rarely that neat. While Sardar Udham (the Vicky Kaushal film) did a brilliant job of showing the psychological toll of the massacre, the Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh concept tends to focus more on the immediate aftermath and the betrayal of the Sikh regiments.
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Imagine being a soldier who survived the Somme only to come home and find your brother was killed by your own commanding officer's orders. That’s the core conflict. It’s messy and uncomfortable.
The Cultural Impact of the Kesari Brand
The first film was a massive commercial success. It grossed over ₹200 crore. But more than the money, it tapped into a specific type of "braveheart" cinema that resonates deeply in India.
Kesari worked because it felt authentic to the Sikh ethos of Chardi Kala—eternal optimism even in the face of death. Transitioning that brand to Jallianwala Bagh is a risky move. Why? Because Jallianwala Bagh isn't a story of a "fair fight." It’s a story of victimhood and eventual radicalization.
There are rumors about the production of this second chapter. Some industry insiders suggest it might be a web series rather than a theatrical film, allowing for a more granular look at the Hunter Commission—the British inquiry into the massacre where Dyer famously admitted he would have used machine guns if he could have gotten the armored cars through the narrow entrance.
Misconceptions You Should Probably Forget
A lot of people think the Jallianwala Bagh massacre was an accident or a "panic" reaction by a young officer.
It wasn't.
Dyer was a seasoned officer. He knew exactly what he was doing. During the inquiry, he was asked if he had taken any steps to help the wounded. His answer? "It was not my job. The hospitals were open."
Another misconception is that the massacre was universally condemned in Britain at the time. While figures like Winston Churchill and Herbert Asquith called it "monstrous," a large section of the British public and the House of Lords actually supported Dyer. They even started a fund for him, raising thousands of pounds as a "thank you" for saving the Empire.
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That’s the "untold" part that often gets skipped in school textbooks but finds its way into deep-dive narratives like Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh.
What to Watch and Read Next
If you’re waiting for the official release or just want to get your facts straight, there are a few places to go.
First, read The Patient Assassin by Anita Anand. It’s arguably the best researched book on Udham Singh and the massacre. It reads like a thriller but it's all true.
Second, look up the transcripts of the Hunter Commission. Seeing Dyer's own words is chilling. He didn't show remorse. He showed pride.
Third, check out the 1981 film Gandhi. The Jallianwala Bagh scene in that movie is still considered one of the most accurate depictions of the sheer scale of the horror.
Actionable Steps for History Buffs
If you actually want to understand the weight of this story, don't just wait for a trailer.
- Visit the Virtual Museum: The Jallianwala Bagh Memorial has been recently renovated. While the "beautification" was controversial, the digital archives are still accessible and provide a wealth of primary source documents.
- Trace Your Genealogy: If you have Punjabi roots, look into the "War Diaries" of the British Indian Army. Many families are shocked to find their ancestors were serving just miles away from where the massacre took place.
- Support Independent Research: Small archives like the Partition Museum in Amritsar rely on donations to keep these "untold stories" alive.
The story of Jallianwala Bagh isn't just a movie plot. It’s a reminder of what happens when power is exercised without accountability. Whether it's called Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh or something else, the importance lies in the "untold" bit. We have to keep telling it, or we risk forgetting the cost of the freedom we currently take for granted.
To truly honor the history, start by looking into the localized protests of 1919 in your own region. Every city had its own reaction to the Rowlatt Act. Understanding those local ripples makes the massive wave of the Amritsar massacre feel much more personal and much less like a distant movie script.