By INTRO SEQUENCE Kesari
The film opens with an aged British historian narrating the events of the Battle of Saragarhi, emphasizing the world’s awe at 21 Sikh soldiers standing against 10,000 Afghans. His voice fades, and we transition to a dusty village in Punjab, where a young boy listens to this tale with tears in his eyes. kesari
The boy is Arjan Singh, son of Sepoy Himmat Singh—one of the martyrs of Saragarhi. His eyes are full of pride, but his heart burns with unanswered questions: Was it worth it? Did their sacrifice bring change?
ACT 1: THE SHADOWS OF SACRIFICE
Years Later (1899):
Arjan is now 22, a blacksmith and farmer by day, secretly training with old weapons by night. His uncle, Gurmukh Singh, a former Havildar who left the army after his brother died at Saragarhi, constantly warns him:
But Arjan’s fire cannot be quelled. When a British Indian Army recruiter visits, he enlists—not for the Queen, but to carry forward the Kesari spirit. He writes in
Parallel Thread – Gulbadeen Khan’s Rise
In Waziristan, Gulbadeen Khan, once a defeated tribal commander, now uses Saragarhi as a rallying cry—twisting its narrative:
He’s charismatic, cunning, and now allied with external powers who want to destabilize British India. His goal: an all-out tribal siege of Miranzai and Bannu.
ACT 2: TRAINING THE LIONS
Arjan joins the 47th Sikh Light Infantry under Lt. Col. Huxley, a fair but strict British officer who once fought alongside Ishar Singh.
In the regiment, Arjan finds:
- Baldev Singh – a cheerful, food-loving prankster from Amritsar.
- Nirmal Singh – deeply spiritual, reads scriptures and quotes them during battles.
- Zorawar Singh – tough, scarred veteran, doesn’t believe in martyrdom anymore.
Initial clashes erupt between Zorawar and Arjan, who he sees as naïve. In one heated moment, Zorawar shouts:
“You think dying makes you a hero? Try living with the memories!”
But slowly, Arjan earns his respect by leading training missions and standing up for his fellow soldiers against a racist British Sergeant.
Subplots:
- Arjan and a local Pashtun girl, Zuleikha, share a complex relationship. She despises the British, but slowly sees Arjan’s intentions are noble.
- Gurmukh Singh, now living in seclusion, secretly sends messages of encouragement to Arjan, torn between fear and pride.
ACT 3: THE THUNDER BEFORE THE STORM
Word arrives that Fort Shamkhed, guarding the vital pass to Miranzai, has fallen to Gulbadeen. If he captures the fort-town of Miranzai, hundreds of civilians, including women and children, will be slaughtered.
The British order a quick fix—send a small force to slow the tribal army until reinforcements arrive.
Lt. Col. Huxley volunteers the 47th Sikh Light Infantry.
They march into the mountains—21 soldiers leading 80 Sikhs, evoking the spirit of Saragarhi.
ACT 4: THE FIRE RETURNS
The regiment reaches Shamkhed and finds it empty—a trap. At night, torchlights appear on all sides: Gulbadeen’s 1200 men surround them.
They prepare for siege. Trench warfare begins. Every man takes an oath:
“If Saragarhi had 21… Shamkhed will have 101.”
Each day brings heavy losses. Arjan begins writing in a diary, logging names of the fallen. Nirmal is killed reciting the Japji Sahib. Baldev dies saving children from a collapsing watchtower.
Arjan, now wounded, refuses evacuation. Zorawar leads a breakout mission to steal enemy supplies, risking his life. In one emotional scene, he confesses:
Following the heroic last stand of Havildar Ishar Singh and his 21 brave Sikh soldiers at the Battle of Saragarhi in 1897, the story of their valor reverberated across British India. Though they fell in battle, their legacy became a roaring flame in the hearts of thousands. Kesari Chapter 2: The Rise of the Brave picks up two years later, in 1899, amidst the swelling tides of unrest, rebellion, and a brewing second front in the Northwest Frontier.
The Ashes of Saragarhi
In the opening scenes, we revisit Saragarhi, now a rebuilt post. A young Sikh boy, Arjan Singh, stares at the names carved in stone—21 martyrs whose sacrifice changed the way the world viewed valor. Arjan is the son of one of the fallen soldiers, now raised by his uncle, Sardar Gurmukh Singh, a retired British Indian soldier embittered by war and colonial betrayal.
The British Empire, meanwhile, has been rattled by constant tribal revolts in the region of Tirah and Waziristan. The Afghani tribal leader Gulbadeen Khan, who had witnessed Saragarhi, is now rising as a unifying force among the tribes. He views the Indian subcontinent’s increasing unrest as an opportunity to expel the British and unify the region under his tribal rule.
A New Flame
The British Indian Army is stretched thin. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Huxley, who once served with Ishar Singh, returns to the Northwest to train a new Sikh regiment—the 47th Sikh Light Infantry—inspired by the courage at Saragarhi. Huxley handpicks Arjan Singh, who has now grown into a fierce and idealistic young man, fueled by his father’s martyrdom.
Arjan’s recruitment isn’t without resistance. His uncle Gurmukh, haunted by war, pleads with him to stay back and build a life in peace. But Arjan believes in a cause higher than revenge—he wants to prove that sacrifice breeds change, not silence.
The Uprising
In the tribal hills, Gulbadeen Khan unites various Pashtun clans and begins raiding British forts. He declares a holy war, not just against the British, but also against those Indian soldiers who fight alongside them—whom he labels as “traitors to the soil.”
Meanwhile, the British High Command prepares for retaliation with Operation Kesari—named to honor the martyrs of Saragarhi. This new mission will deploy the 47th Sikh Light Infantry deep into the hostile terrain of Waziristan to prevent Gulbadeen from capturing key trade and communication routes.
Arjan is now a Naik (corporal) and quickly rises in respect among his peers due to his fearlessness and moral clarity. He is joined by Lance Naik Baldev, a jovial warrior from Amritsar, Sepoy Nirmal, a spiritual devotee, and Havildar Major Zorawar, a tough but wise veteran who sees Ishar Singh’s shadow in Arjan.
The Ambush
In a well-executed mission, the 47th recaptures a vital pass at Shamkhed, only to discover that it was a trap. Gulbadeen’s men surround them with over 500 tribal fighters. For three days, the Sikhs hold the pass, suffering heavy losses. Food, ammunition, and morale begin to dwindle.
A wounded British spy reveals that Gulbadeen’s next target is Fort Miranzai, which houses hundreds of civilians, women, and children. If the 47th fails to warn them in time, a massacre is certain. But retreating from the pass would open the route to the enemy.
The regiment is faced with a crushing dilemma: stay and die, or abandon their post to save others.
The Spirit of Saragarhi
Arjan invokes the tale of Saragarhi, urging his men to remember that the meaning of bravery is not in surviving but in ensuring that others do. They split the regiment—half will stay and hold the pass, the others will ride through dangerous ravines to warn Fort Miranzai.
Arjan chooses to stay behind, echoing his father’s last stand.
As the final battle begins, Gulbadeen arrives in person to witness the destruction of the Kesari warriors. Outnumbered 10 to 1, Arjan and his 47 men fight with raw valor. The fight is brutal, intense, and soaked in emotion. One by one, the soldiers fall—but not before killing hundreds of Gulbadeen’s fighters.
In the climactic moments, Arjan confronts Gulbadeen in single combat. Despite being wounded, Arjan pierces Gulbadeen’s defenses and brings him to his knees—but chooses not to kill him. He tells him:
“You may unite tribes through fear, but it takes courage to unite hearts. And courage never kneels.”
Arjan is finally killed when Gulbadeen’s aide shoots him from behind. But just then, a loud trumpet sounds—the second half of the regiment, led by Havildar Zorawar, has returned with backup forces.
Gulbadeen is captured. Fort Miranzai is saved. And the pass remains in Indian hands.
Epilogue
Months later, a monument is built on the hills of Shamkhed, beside the one at Saragarhi. The names of the new martyrs are etched alongside the old ones. Gurmukh Singh, tears in his eyes, salutes the memorial.
Arjan’s legacy becomes a symbol, not of war, but of the courage to rise above hate, of unity in chaos, and of standing for something greater than oneself.
Final Shot
In a poetic mirror to the opening scene, a new generation of Sikh cadets visits the twin memorials. One of them whispers, “We’ve heard of Saragarhi… but this, this was Kesari Chapter 2.”
The screen fades to the words:
