'Kesari Chapter 2' Box Office Collection Day 1: Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday’s patriotic film sells over 50K tickets in advance bookings; mints Rs 3 Cr as it hits cinemas today

‘Kesari Chapter 2’ is all set to hit the big screen today, and it is off to a powerful start! Starring Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday, this courtroom drama has sold over 56,969 tickets before its release and earned Rs. 3 crore in advance bookings, as per trade tracker Sacnilk.
'Kesari Chapter 2' Day 1 earnings
As of 10.45 am, 'Kesari Chapter 2' has earned Rs. 0.43 crore net in India.
Even before audiences stepped into cinemas, the buzz around this film was strong. Out of the Rs. 3 crore, around Rs. 1.84 crore worth of tickets were sold through regular advance bookings, with the rest coming from block bookings. With the film releasing on Good Friday, a national holiday, it's expected to pick up even more steam at the box office.

‘Kesari Chapter 2’ is making waves not just with ticket sales but also with its massive release across India. On its opening day alone, the film is set to play in 4,494 shows nationwide. Key regions include Maharashtra with 1,029 shows, Gujarat with 722, Delhi with 439, Uttar Pradesh with 296, and Punjab with 218. This large-scale rollout shows the makers’ strong faith in the film’s appeal and its potential to draw huge crowds during the long Good Friday weekend.

A powerful story after ‘Kesari’
‘Kesari Chapter 2’ is a sequel to the 2019 hit ‘Kesari’. While the first film focused on the heroic Battle of Saragarhi, this one dives into the intense courtroom drama that followed the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It tells the real-life story of C. Sankaran Nair, a brave Indian lawyer who took on the British Empire in court.
Directed by Karan Singh Tyagi, the film is based on the book 'The Case That Shook the Empire' by Raghu Palat and Pushpa Palat.
Akshay Kumar plays C. Sankaran Nair, while R. Madhavan takes on the role of Neville McKinley, the British lawyer defending the Crown. Ananya Panday plays a modern character named Dilreet Gill, who adds a contemporary touch to this historical tale.


Akshay Kumar's personal connection to Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
At a recent press conference for his film, Akshay Kumar spoke about his personal link to one of India’s darkest chapters – the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. On 13 April 1919, British troops opened fire on thousands of peaceful protestors in Amritsar, killing hundreds. Akshay revealed, "My grandfather witnessed the entire Jallianwala Bagh incident. He had told stories to my father about this, and my father told me. I have known a lot about the massacre since I was a child, so the film is very special to me. The event has been etched in my mind always...The most surprising thing was history doesn’t tell us what we actually need to know."
'Kesari Chapter 2' Twitter review
People on social media, especially on X, are full of praise. Many are calling it “a cinematic burst of patriotism, strength and pride.” Fans are loving the performances by Akshay Kumar, R. Madhavan and Ananya Panday. The direction and writing are also getting lots of love. One viewer posted, “Powerful & Emotionally Charged film... Strong Writing 📝 @AkshayKumar & @ActorMadhavan performance are outstanding.” Viewers say the film is moving, visually strong and an important history lesson. Some even called it a “must-watch” and a “historical HIT.” Read there complete X review here
Akshay may have taken profit share for 'Kesari 2'
Akshay is one of the top-paid stars in Bollywood and is said to have charged a big fee for this movie. As per Forbes, his normal pay per film is between Rs 60 crore and Rs 145 crore, and reports claim he may have asked for a similar amount for 'Kesari 2', depending on the film's size and budget.
However, in an interview with Hindustan Times last year, Akshay said he now gets paid differently. He shared, "I agree with most of what he said. If we sign a film today, we don’t charge anything; we just take a stake. If it works, we get a share in the profit, but if it doesn’t, we don’t get any money." It seems likely that Akshay used this payment method for 'Kesari 2', but there’s no official word on it yet.