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Akshay Kumar and Karan Johar hit back at General Dyer’s granddaughter for calling Jallianwala Bagh victims ‘looters’.
Karan Johar hits back at General Dyer’s granddaughter.
Ahead of the release of Kesari 2, actor Akshay Kumar and producer Karan Johar have strongly condemned recent remarks made by General Reginald Dyer’s granddaughter, who referred to the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre as “looters.” The film, which sees Akshay playing the role of C Sankaran Nair, tells the story of the lawyer who sued the British Empire after the tragic incident that took place in Amritsar, killing over 1,600 people.
Speaking about the film and the historical weight it carries, Karan Johar reflected on the importance of showcasing stories rooted in real events. “I have heard stories of true valour and bravery of unsung heroes various times. These stories have been embedded in the archives of history and not portrayed on celluloid. This took me back to a few stories that came on my table like Raazi, that film went on to prove that true stories resonate gorgeously, it could strike a chord with the audience. There was also The Ghazi Attack, and Kesari,” he said.
“This one is an absolutely outstanding story of C Sankaran Nair, based on the book The Case That Shook The Empire. We knew the massacre, but none of us knew the truth. Every time we have watched the tragedy, we have felt the pain, the anger. What makes us all angry is that there isn’t an apology even now. Neither the crown, nor the monarchy or the British Government apologized. We came out of the British Raaj valiantly as a country, but as a nation we deserve an apology and this film demands just that,” Karan added.
The controversy was sparked by an interview in which General Dyer’s granddaughter defended her grandfather’s actions, calling him “an honourable man, greatly liked by the Indians,” and claiming he spoke multiple Indian languages. Speaking to a victim’s family member, she asked, “Was he a looter? I think history is history and you’ve got to accept that.”
Karan didn’t hold back in his reaction to the video. “I have seen that video, and not just as an Indian or humanitarian, but as anyone who has an iota of empathy, it will anger you. How ridiculous was she to say that, and how dare she? She was calling those thousands of people looters… they were innocent people who collected on the auspicious day of Baisakhi. By his own admission, General Dyer said that he only stopped shooting when the bullets ran out.”
“She is living in a lala land of her own and in some delusion… The fact that she even said those things boiled my blood,” he added.
Akshay Kumar also spoke out, saying, “One nation’s trauma is another nation’s lesson. That is what she never understood and kept saying history is history. I appreciate what Karan said and the way he said it.”
Kesari 2 is set to hit theatres on April 18.
