Kesari Chapter 2 box office office collection in UAE, India: Akshay Kumar & Madhavan's courtroom thriller clocks 20,000 admissions in UAE

Dubai: Despite being a courtroom drama that trades subtlety for swagger, Kesari Chapter 2 has managed to make noise at the box office.

In the UAE, the Akshay Kumar-led historical saga clocked 20,063 admissions over the three-day weekend — a strong showing considering the film's polarising tone and overcooked execution.

In India, the film earned a decent Rs170 million in its first two days and added another Rs120 million on Day 3, bringing the estimated India net collection to Rs290 million, according to Sacnilk.

In the Gulf News review, the film was called a "decent one-time watch", but it wasn’t without flaws.

Our review points out that while Akshay Kumar brings his signature patriotic swagger to the role of lawyer Sankaran Nair, the film often confuses volume with valour.

The courtroom drama — which pits Kumar against a more grounded and convincing R. Madhavan — is packed with Bollywood bombast and cultural clichés. A Kathakali performance, awkwardly accented Malayalam, and a jingoistic score featuring lines like "lion roar" set the tone for a film that prioritises spectacle over soul.

Scenes that should be emotionally stirring, like the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, are shot with perfume-ad finesse — all gloss, little grit. While Kumar flexes his hyper-masculine persona with gusto, it’s Madhavan’s restrained performance that quietly steals the show.

Ultimately, Kesari Chapter 2 might win in admissions, but it misses out on authenticity and emotional impact.

Still, the box office numbers prove that even when a film fumbles on authenticity, cinematic bluster often wins the weekend.