‘Kesari 2’ director Karan Singh Tyagi defends Ananya Panday amid criticism

Director Karan Singh Tyagi is basking in the success of his latest film Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh. While Akshay Kumar and R. Madhavan are being lauded for their performances, actress Ananya Panday, who played lawyer Dilreet Gill, has been receiving flak for her dialect and portrayal in the film.

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Despite the harsh criticism towards her acting, Tyagi chose to highlight the impact her role had on audiences. In a recent interview with News18, he said “The audience was clapping at her entry scene,” he said, recalling a screening in Hyderabad. “She was one female lawyer in a room filled with men. And that in itself is the perfect response to all the negative comments."

The director also noted that social media's fueling of hate is unprecedented and blown out of proportion. He said, “People jump to conclusions very easily. There are clickbait headlines written... I see very unnecessary hate on social media today, which tends to become toxic at certain times. It’s tragic! This is the ill-effect of social media, and we’ve to learn to live with it.”

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Tyagi revealed that his admiration for Panday began after watching Gehraiyaan. Moved by her performance, he decided to offer her the role of Dilreet Gill. “I’ve to say that she’s remarkable in Kesari Chapter 2 and has put in so much hard work. She went through dialect classes for over a year. She has studied the mannerisms of female lawyers. We visited the Bombay High Court where she saw a female lawyer practising in action."

Determined to ace the role, the director revealed that Panday immersed herself in research. Tygai recalled her reading a book that detailed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre through poems. “That book, kind of, became her Bible. She would carry that book on the set. She imbibed the role of Dilreet Gill so well. Ananya has a mix of vulnerability and steely resolve. She brought that out and exhibited them beautifully." 

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