Film

Kesari

Name: Kesari
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Released: 2019
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra, Mir Sarwar, Ashwath Bhatt, 'Om' Rakesh Chaturvedi

War action

Kesari is a 2019 war drama based on the 1897 Battle of Saragarhi, where 21 Sikh soldiers held a fort against 10,000 Afghan troops. It's a large-scale action film with genuine historical weight, built around themes of duty, faith, and sacrifice. Akshay Kumar leads with restraint unusual for him. Expect spectacle in service of real bravery, not just noise.

TMDb rating

3.6

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like historical war films built around a small group holding an impossible position, where the battle itself is the spine and the bravado is earned through sheer grind.

Skip it if you want restraint or a fresh take on the genre, since this leans on patriotic swagger and stirring, rousing moments more than subtle character work.

What it asks of you: Settle in for just over two and a half hours, with the action arriving in long bloody stretches after some talky setup.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Dunkirk2017

Nolan's account of tactical retreat under overwhelming odds, told with propulsive urgency. Like Kesari, it finds dignity and heroism in survival against impossible numbers, though through a very different lens.

But Fragmented timeline and minimal character development. Some find it emotionally cold compared to traditional war narratives.

19172019

A single-take war film (technically) where two soldiers cross enemy lines on a desperate mission. Shares Kesari's focus on individual courage within massive historical machinery, shot with stunning technical ambition.

But The gimmick can feel exhausting. Long stretches prioritize spectacle over dialogue or character moments.

Khuda Haafiz2020

Emraan Hashmi in an action-drama about rescue and redemption across borders. Indian cinema doing intimate character work within geopolitical stakes, much like Kesari's blend of personal conviction and larger conflict.

But Melodrama in the second half. Emotional beats sometimes override plot logic.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Kesari

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Come and See1985

Both examine soldiers in impossible circumstances, but where Kesari finds meaning in sacrifice, this film argues meaning is annihilated by industrial slaughter. They're not opposites—they're the conversation a grown person has with themselves about what war actually means.

Elem Klimov's brutalist Soviet film about a teenager conscripted into WWII. Unflinching depiction of what mechanized warfare does to human beings. Apocalyptic, hallucinatory, profoundly angry. The anti-war film that validates Kesari's reverence by showing its opposite.

But Genuinely traumatizing. Not cathartic. Sustained ugliness without redemption. One of cinema's most difficult watches.

Raees2017

Shah Rukh Khan as a criminal kingpin opposite an honest cop. Crime-action film with real moral weight and strong support cast. Similar commitment to theme over spectacle.

But Runs long and occasionally drags. The climax feels rushed after substantial setup.

Border1997

Sundaram Balakrishnan's Hindi-language war film about the 1971 India-Pakistan conflict. Foundational to how Indian cinema approaches military narratives. Sincere, moving, structurally similar to Kesari.

But Age shows in production design and pacing. Some dialogue feels quaint now, though that has charm.

The Gold Rush1925

Akshay Kumar in a different kind of historical film about India's first Olympic gold. Shares that earnest patriotism and focus on collective achievement, though with lighter tone.

But Feels like a TV movie at times. Patriotism occasionally tips into preachy.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag2013

Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's biography of sprinter Milkha Singh. Tremendous emotional arc and athletic spectacle. Shows how Indian cinema can make personal perseverance feel genuinely epic.

But Runs nearly two hours and middle section sags. Some dramatic choices feel heavy-handed.

Padmaavat2018

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's historical drama about siege and honor. Massive scale, genuine stakes, commitment to theme even when controversial. Treats history as material for moral examination.

But Extremely long and visually overwhelming. Dialogue can be stilted. The subject matter remains genuinely divisive.

Haider2014

Vishal Bhardwaj's Kashmir-set adaptation of Hamlet. War, occupation, and moral corruption wrapped in Shakespeare. Proves Indian cinema can do complex political drama without sacrificing intensity.

But Dense, sometimes opaque plotting. Requires patience and attention. Bleak throughout.