Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh (2025) Movie Script
Sit down!
Everyone, please sit!
Settle down.
I have a very important message
for you today...
Our revolution will not be stopped!
We won't back down!
We won't back down!
We won't back down!
"Repeal the Rowlatt Act. "
"Repeal the Rowlatt Act. "
"Repeal the Rowlatt Act. "
Pargat!
Pargat!
Yes, Ma?
Come here!
Coming.
Our resistance against British rule...
-Shall continue!
-Shall continue!
Get some rest, son.
You've been at it since morning.
You'll get exhausted.
"If you pause and miss your goal,
regret will chase you forever. "
Dad used to say that.
Have you forgotten?
Never mind.
Go get some sweets
for your sister.
How much can this tiny tot eat?
Brat!
Go.
Wait a minute!
What now?
God bless.
Thanks.
Forward March!
Pargat!
Take your position!
And turn!
Firing position!
Load arms!
They want to scare us.
But we won't budge!
Should we issue them a warning, sir?
Fire!
Pargat!
-Ma!
-Pargat!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Don't jump into the well!
Ma!
Ma, no!
Ma!
Ma, no!
Don't be afraid, love.
I'll be right back with Pargat.
Open the gates!
Pargat!
Over there!
They're climbing the wall!
Pargat!
Ma!
Shoot them!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Wahe Guru!
The piercing cries that rose
from Jallianwala Bagh
were the result of a big betrayal.
1914, the First World War.
When the British ran short of soldiers,
they made India a promise:
"Send your men to fight for us,
and we shall grant you freedom. "
Trusting this promise,
over 1.5 million Indians
joined the British Indian Army...
All in the hope that
India would be free.
But when the war ended,
the British betrayed us.
And Punjab, which had sent
the most soldiers to war,
was set ablaze
with revolution.
Long live the revolution!
Long live the revolution!
Professor Kripal Singh
united the youth of Punjab
and led a movement
against the British government.
Sir, one question!
Governor, Kripal Singh is
brazenly leading public protests
and the courts have acquitted him
for the fourth time.
The Crown used every legal trick
to silence Kripal Singh.
But the court acquitted him
every time.
The crown's reputation
was now at stake.
And there was only one man
who could salvage it.
Born and raised in Kerala...
From Kalaripayattu to Kathakali,
from the quill to the courtroom...
A master of it all.
The country's top barrister...
Who had never lost a case.
He was the only Indian member
of the Viceroy's Council.
The British favourite...
Sankaran Nair.
It is about the Cyclone you cannot stop
God save the King.
Tirath Singh.
Legal advisor
to Governor O Dwyer.
I'll be quite honest
with you, Mr. Nair.
We've been through three lawyers,
and none of them could
prove Kripal Singh wrong.
Governor...
There's no right or wrong in court,
only winners and losers.
Kripal Singh writes poetry.
He holds poetry gatherings.
Charging him with sedition
and dragging him
to court repeatedly
is a waste of the court's time.
This entire case is hollow,
Your Honour.
As Mark Twain wrote:
"A lot of sound and fury,
signifying nothing. "
Shakespeare.
What?
Not Twain, Shakespeare.
Your Honour,
my point remains:
For any government,
it's vital to have people
who question it.
The Crown should actually
thank my client.
Your witness, Mr. Nair.
Thank you, Mr. Kripal.
Order, order!
Your Honour,
the truth is that
Kripal Singh is not a criminal,
but in fact,
a very fine poet.
The Crown has indeed
made a mistake
by charging him with sedition.
We're sorry, Mr. Kripal.
I'm a big fan of your poetry.
I've been following your work
for a long time.
I went to your college,
as well as your poetry gatherings...
And discovered some
fascinating things about you.
But before you leave...
May I ask you something?
Do you know
how to make a bomb?
What?
Objection, Your Honour.
Irrelevant.
Mr Kripal...
Bomb?
You are not legally obligated
to answer this question.
I was a soldier
in the British Indian Army.
I fought during the World War too.
Your Honour.
As part of standard soldier training-
Mr. Kripal...
Yes or no?
-Yes, I do.
-Your Honour,
The British Indian Army has had
thousands of Indian soldiers.
They are all trained to make bombs.
Will they all be dragged
to court now?
Just get to the point, Mr. Nair.
Yes, Your Honour.
Who are Khudiram Singh
and Barinder Kumar?
Long live the revolution!
They're students from my college.
A few days ago,
these students from your college
threw bombs at Officer Kingsford's car
outside the Imperial Theatre.
That car burned to ashes,
and he died in the attack.
I'm sorry to hear that.
I can see that.
"The Crown shall be fought,
not just with ink,
but with fire. "
Whose great lines are these?
Mine - but what are you
trying to imply?
That I told those kids
to throw bombs?
Didn't you?
Your Honour,
how is this related to the case?
Your Honour,
Those innocent young men
joined the college to study...
And because of Kripal Singh,
they're now rotting in jail.
He filled their hearts
with hatred for the Crown,
instigated them to throw
a bomb at a British officer,
and then taught them
how to make one.
Or maybe...
He made the bomb himself
and handed it to them.
Writing poetry, reciting verses
and organizing gatherings...
These are trivial accusations.
Kripal Singh must receive
the harshest punishment
for the charge of murdering
Officer Kingsford.
That's all, Your Honour.
The Court agrees with Mr. Nair.
Kripal Singh is being remanded to judicial custody
and he will be charged for conspiracy
to murder under the Indian Penal Code.
Thank you, your honour.
Mr Nair...
How easily you've branded
a revolutionary as a terrorist.
You're a brilliant lawyer,
but you're fighting
for the wrong side.
You too are a brilliant poet...
But poems don't run a nation.
Keep reading.
One day, you'll see the light.
Let's go.
Tell me, Parvathy...
How is it being married
to a barrister?
That's what I want to know!
I have no complaints...
As long as I remain
the judge and jury at home.
And executioner!
Of course.
What if we add another title?
Lady Nair.
Sankaran, the Crown is granting
you Knighthood for your service.
Only a handful of Indians
have received this honour.
Congratulations...
Sir Sankaran Nair.
To Sir Sankaran Nair.
To all here present:
Know ye,
that Sankaran Nair
will hereby be admitted
as a Distinguished Knight
in the Order of the King
by the Viceroy of India.
Pargat!
Pargat!
Come down from the skies
I'm trapped in a web of grief
-Check the trenches.
-No one hears me when I cry
-Arise once, for British Honour.
-Almighty, hear my plea
Twice for duty.
Thrice for chivalry.
Arise, Sir Sankaran Nair.
These wounds run so deep
Please come and heal me
Veera, no!
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Sankaran Nair had no idea
that his life,
written in English ink
would soon be drenched
in the hue of revolution.
And what do you think
the press will say about this?
The press will say
what we want them to say.
They will say that we did
a jolly good thing today.
Visit all the Punjab regional press
offices immediately.
This news cannot come out
at any cost.
Use force if you have to-
stop the press!
From now on, all newspapers must
only carry one story...
Cemeteries and cremation grounds
are overflowing.
The hospitals are stacked with corpses.
Then toss them into the drains.
Governor, the press has been silenced.
But some survivors and their families
are refusing to back down.
Let's pay the survivors
some compensation,
and set up an enquiry commission
whose report shuts everyone up.
If such a commission
is to be set up,
we need an Indian in it.
Well, who better for the job
than our loyal Sankaran Nair?
Various allegations have been
levelled against General Dyer.
Hence, the Crown wants all of you
to investigate this incident
with complete integrity,
so that the country's trust
in the British administration
and justice system
remains intact.
Move aside!
PUNJAB DAILY NEWS:
Bloodbath on Baisakhi
According to the military report,
2332 rounds were fired
on 13th April,
which killed 1650 terrorists.
And when the terrorists fired,
how many of our soldiers died?
None.
That's strange.
What do you think of it, sir?
Right now, all I'm thinking is...
What's for lunch?
Collect your cash
from Desk number 3...
Stay back!
Take your 25 rupees
and move on, old hag!
But what does this say?
We don't have time
for questions.
Just move along-
Hey, soldier!
Soldier, take it easy.
I'll handle it.
You have to put
your thumbprint here,
and collect 25 rupees over there.
That's it.
But son,
what does the document say?
It says that the Crown has offered you
a compensation of 25 rupees
for your loss....
And that you have no complaints
against the Crown or their officers.
The death count
in the hospital records is far more
than what General Dyer's
military report says.
Why are we hiding
the real death count?
I'll speak to the Governor.
We'll increase the compensation,
to satisfy the victims.
Were they victims or terrorists?
Mr. Nair, how does it matter?
What's important is
that the Crown is offering
the families compensation.
And what about
these hospital records?
Are you here to accuse
General Dyer?
If my questions sound like
complaints to you,
then so be it.
Mr. Nair, I fail to understand
what you're trying to imply-
Excuse me.
Yes.
Sir, General Dyer is coming upstairs.
Has Jaan Nisar come today?
-Yes, but I've stopped him outside.
-Good.
Send him in.
Yes sir.
Your wish has been granted.
General Dyer is on his way.
Now you can direct
all your questions
to the man himself.
Good afternoon, General.
How are you?
Very good, how are you?
Very well.
Meet Sir Sankaran Nair.
Pleasure.
Please sit, gentlemen.
After you.
Thank you.
Ah, Jaan Nisar!
General, this is Jaan Nisar.
He comes here every day.
He's got quite a few
complaints against you.
Battalion 36, right?
Have you got
your complaints in writing?
Yes...
But I'll hand them
to the Governor.
Come on, Jaan Nisar. Please.
There go your complaints!
Happy now?
Made your complaint?
Bugger off!
By the way, Mr. Nair...
You had quite a few
complaints too, didn't you?
Sir.
Who is he?
Just some crazy boy, sir.
While everyone else
collects their compensation,
he turns up here daily,
like a walking newspaper.
He says there's at least one Indian
on the Viceroy's commission,
and he's here to tell him
the truth about Jallianwala Bagh.
Did he lose any of
his family members there?
Yes, sir.
His mother and little sister.
Namaste, son.
-My name...
-Sat Sri Akal, sir.
I know who you are.
Come, have a seat.
Here, sir.
Tomorrow's newspaper?
Yes, sir.
But tomorrow is Sunday.
The office will be shut.
Yes, but the newspaper
comes daily, right?
How can the truth
take a day off?
So, Mr. Punjab Daily News...
You paint so beautifully.
You are so talented.
All this protesting
will get you nowhere, son.
You should go to school.
I have my own school in Kerala.
You can learn English there.
What's the point, sir?
Art, stories, poems...
No matter how great...
They don't run a nation, right?
My name is Pargat Singh, sir.
I'm Professor Kripal Singh's son.
Every year,
I eagerly await Baisakhi.
But this year's Baisakhi
was different.
My father was in jail.
I was really missing him...
So my mother bought me
this kurta.
Sky blue in colour.
My father always said,
"I hope that someday,
you and your sister
can breathe in a free India. "
That's it.
That hope is what I wore
as I stepped out that day,
with my mother and sister,
to raise my voice against the British.
Because if the British
committing atrocities are wrong,
even worse are the Indians
who suffer in silence.
Therefore, Mr. Nair...
I don't think I will ever go
to the school of thought
you belong to.
General Dyer, it seems you'll sleep
-peacefully after tomorrow's verdict.
-Are you okay?
Don't take him for a wimp,
our boy Dyer!
He was determined to cleanse Amritsar
for once and for all
of all those bloody Sardars.
I hear barely a bullet was wasted!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'd like to raise a toast
to the Viceroy's Commission.
The Viceroy's Commission!
I need to get some air.
God save the King!
God save the King!
God save the King!
Please stop, sir.
You can't enter.
I'm a member
of the Viceroy's Commission!
Sir, whoever you are...
I'm just doing my job.
Sir, stop!
Can you believe it, Mr. Dyer?
Well, I don't wish to seem heartless,
dear chap, but...
Them's the rules!
As a lawyer,
you ought to know that...
'Sir' Sankaran Nair!
Excuse me.
If the British
committing atrocities are wrong,
even worse are the Indians
who suffer in silence.
The members of the Viceroy's Commission
unanimously pronounce
General Dyer not guilty.
No one can win
against the Crown, Nair.
Stay quiet.
-But...
-Your work here is done.
Thank you,
Sir Sankaran Nair.
Sir.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
What happened to him?
He slit his wrist.
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Today, darkness won over light
Goodness fell without a fight
Even sorrow mocks my plight
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
How long will you run, Mr Nair?
My name is Dilreet Gill.
You were a huge inspiration
to me, sir.
Thanks to you, I fought my family
and came here from Jalandhar,
to study law.
But today, I'm disappointed.
Sir, you were a part
of the Viceroy's Commission.
You know the truth.
The world needs to know
what happened at Jallianwala Bagh.
We must fight for the truth.
Dilreet, fighting your family,
and fighting the crown
are very different things.
But that 13 year old boy
fought against the Crown.
And we, with all our
fancy law degrees
can't fight for the truth.
I'm sorry, I have to leave.
Have you ever been
to Jallianwala Bagh?
I have.
It's been four months...
The walls are still marked
with bullet holes and blood.
If you go close to the walls,
you can hear whispers.
You know, sir...
When walls begin to speak,
and you go silent...
It really makes you think...
It makes you wonder...
Who really died?
Here's Pargat's last newspaper,
to tell the world the truth.
Take it sir, it's for you.
But you know
what the biggest truth is?
One that no one will ever know?
Thousands died because of Dyer...
But that kid died
because of you.
And I won't let
his death be in vain.
What the hell is this?
Someone's filed a case against us
over Jallianwala Bagh.
Oh, stop making such a bloody fuss!
Sir, I just need to file
one motion to dismiss,
and this case will never go to trial.
There's no reason to worry-
The reason to worry
is Judge McCardie.
He's honest,
and sympathetic to the Indians.
And all proceedings in his court
are conducted in Hindi.
And who the hell
is this Dilreet Gill?
Who cares!
You think a lady lawyer
stands a chance,
that too fighting a case
against the Crown?
I fear she may have
uncovered some evidence.
Impossible, sir!
It's her very first case.
First, and last.
Exactly.
No matter what...
This case cannot go to trial.
Of course it bloody won't!
All rise!
Honourable Judge McCardie presiding.
God save the King!
Your Honour,
before I begin,
I would like to file
an application for attorney
for my co-counsel,
Mr. Sankaran Nair.
Rise, O lion
Let them hear you roar
The world waits breathlessly
To see you rise and soar
Arrows aimed at the heart
A crown that rests with pride
The world stands still in awe
To witness your mighty stride
Arrows aimed at the heart
A crown that rests with pride
Fire!
O Motherland, I've no regrets
For you, I'd bear a hundred blows
May your glory shine forever
Even if my last breath flows
Climb over the wall and run!
O Motherland, my beloved
Your love runs through my veins
Each drop of my blood ensures
Your colours shall never fade
Oh, the door is closed.
To blend into your soil
And bloom like a flower bright
That's all my heart desires
Maa don't jump into the well!
To flow in your rivers deep
To sway in your golden fields
That's all my heart desires
Send a telegram to Jalandhar.
Inform the Gill family
that their daughter
is about to fight
the country's biggest case.
We are suing the Crown for genocide.
Kesari!
But sir, this only has my name.
We must keep my involvement
secret before the hearing.
Or the British police
will be on our trail,
and we won't be able
to collect any evidence.
Quietly scan every neighbourhood,
knock on every door...
And find out what
happened in this city
till the day of Baisakhi.
Sat Sri Akal!
That day at Jallianwala-
A curfew was announced
on the 13th...
Then why did you all gather
at Jallianwala Bagh?
What curfew?
We had set out marching from
Katra Kotwali towards the Bagh.
We just went to hear
Kanhaiya Lal's speech.
Sir, we still don't have
any direct evidence.
There's no confession,
eyewitness testimonies,
any photographs, or...
Paintings?
Pargat's paintings?
I want the air logs.
But sir, how will we
access military records?
The British military
has enough corrupt officers.
Were there many soldiers
here that day?
Were most of them Indian,
or British?
Some were from Nepal,
some from Afghanistan.
Now we know why Dyer opened fire.
Please begin.
Your Honour,
what happened on 13th April
at Jallianwala Bagh
was a well-planned conspiracy,
rather than military action
in self-defence.
It was a genocide, where innocents-
Objection, My Lord.
The protestors at Jallianwala Bagh
were far from innocent.
They were rioters,
armed and dangerous.
In that case,
how many weapons were found
under those heaps of corpses?
They were just responsible citizens
who stepped out that day
to protest the Rowlatt Act.
If they were so responsible,
they would've followed
General Dyer's curfew orders.
The curfew was a sham.
Just six minutes away
from Jallianwala Bagh
lies the Harminder Saheb police station.
That day, thousands crossed
the police station,
but the Collector,
Kartar Singh stopped no one.
The curfew was just an excuse
to frame those innocent folks
as terrorists
and shoot them mercilessly.
Your Honour,
I request permission to summon
Collector Kartar Singh.
You may call the witness.
Was it your responsibility
to declare curfew?
Yes, indeed.
Did General Dyer
give you any orders
that prevented you from
carrying out your duties?
Not at all.
So what happened
on the 13th of April?
I was at the police station.
I was working on a report.
Around 4 PM,
An armed group of thousands
from the 'Danda Fauj'
marched past the police station,
heading towards Jallianwala Bagh.
I immediately went in,
grabbed the loudspeaker,
and asked the crowd:
"Where are you going?"
"There's a curfew on!"
But no one listened to me.
They didn't care!
Instead, they drew weapons...
Raising swords and chanting:
"We'll soak the earth in blood!"
That's when I realised
there could be a riot.
So I immediately called
for reinforcements.
No further questions, Your Honour.
Your witness, Mr. Nair.
Mr Kartar Singh,
what's the protocol
for requesting reinforcements?
Don't you need to inform
the district superintendent,
who then coordinates with
the collectorate office
to get reinforcements
from military headquarters?
Isn't it like that?
Yes.
So he bypassed this entire process,
and sent a request for reinforcements
directly to military headquarters...
Specifically to General Dyer!
Interesting.
And about the announcement...
Yes, there was one on 13th April,
but not from you...
The announcement came
from a man claiming
that renowned leader Kanhaiya Lal
would be at Jallianwala Bagh
that evening...
when at the time, he was at
a poetry convention in Patiala.
Perhaps this was
General Dyer's ploy
to gather as many people
as possible at Jallianwala Bagh?
What do you think?
No further questions, Your Honour.
Witness is dismissed.
Sir.
My Lord,
Mr. Nair has neither evidence
nor witnesses...
Just conspiracy theories.
If these are just theories,
then let me bring up a fact.
When General Dyer already had
thousands of soldiers
from the Sikh Infantry
at his command,
why did he call for
the Gurkha and Baluch regiments
via an urgent telegram on April 10?
Was it because he knew
that the Sikh regiment would
never fire on their own people?
Mr. Nair, you should be more careful
before slandering such
a professional unit.
It was a routine military deployment
that has been recorded.
Fair enough.
Fair enough.
Your Honour,
this is the Army's air logbook.
On April 13,
a plane flew over Jallianwala Bagh,
very close to the ground...
Before quickly changing course
and returning to base.
This happened around 5 PM...
Half an hour before
General Dyer arrived.
Why?
I think Mr. Dyer needs you.
That aircraft was transferring an officer
from Amritsar to Jalandhar.
Okay.
So tell me,
why would a professional army,
known for maintaining
meticulous records,
have no record of this transfer
in their air logbook?
Where is the record?
Because it was an illegal surveillance.
That aircraft was sent
to help General Dyer estimate
the size of the crowd.
My Lord,
Mr. Nair is using this aircraft
to change the course of the case.
A crowd of thousands gathered
at Jallianwala Bagh that day.
They made deadly threats,
and they were armed
with weapons at the time.
Were they not?
Yes, they were.
They were armed.
This was their weapon!
The Sentinel...
Journalist Stuart Thorpe's article.
April 9th, the festival of Ram Navami.
Amritsar's Hindu leader Satya Pal Singh
and Muslim leader Saifuddin Kitchlew
led a massive rally against
the British "Divide and Rule" policy,
right in front of General Dyer's eyes.
Bar their bloody way!
Stand back, I tell you!
This was the first time
that Hindus and Muslims
celebrated Ram Navami together.
Hindu-Muslim unity
was the weapon,
that scared not only General Dyer,
but the entire British government.
And that is the motive for genocide!
This is ridiculous.
How does this prove genocide?
I will prove it, Your Honour.
I will prove it.
On 9th April,
Ram Navami was celebrated.
On 10th April, the Gurkha and Baluch
regiments were urgently summoned.
On 13th April, people were lured
into Jallianwala Bagh.
That very evening, an aircraft
surveyed Jallianwala Bagh.
And then, within half an hour,
General Dyer sprayed bullets
on unarmed, innocent civilians!
If all this doesn't prove genocide,
then what else will?
Mr Nair, that is enough!
Yes, I agree, that's enough!
1650 innocents dead...
That is the official figure
given by the Crown.
But the real figure,
we may never know!
I feel there is ample evidence
to suggest that this case
should go into trial.
Proceedings against General Dyer
will begin next week.
Court is adjourned.
Rise, O lion
Let them hear you roar!
The world waits breathlessly
To see you rise and soar
Arrows aimed at the hear t
A crown that rests with pride
The world stands still in awe
To witness your mighty stride
Goddammit,
you don't belong in here!
Don't forget that you're still
a slave of the British Empire.
The Empire is shrinking.
Sir Nair, an Indian lady lawyer
is your co-counsel.
That's one heck of a thing!
Why are you surprised?
Doesn't your England have queens?
The Amritsar District Court
has approved Sankaran Nair's petition,
to proceed with a case
against General Dyer and the Crown.
This raises the question:
Did General Dyer
mastermind a conspiracy
to orchestrate the massacre
at Jallianwala Bagh?
The entire nation
is now demanding answers,
and the pressure has reached
the elite chambers of the British.
Nair.
You know what's worse
than fucking with your boss?
Fucking with your boss's boss.
Now the Viceroy is asking:
How could this all
go so out of control?
We will get rid of Nair,
by whatever means necessary.
Have you gone mad?
We are talking about
a British Knight.
An ex-member of
the Viceroy's Council,
with the media spotlight on him!
We can't afford to touch him!
There's only one way
out of this mess...
Giving him a crushing response
in court.
Then we bring the best
British lawyer from London-
Absolutely not.
That'll make the jury think
we're hiding something.
This case must be fought
by an Indian lawyer.
All the Indian lawyers are following
in Gandhi's footsteps.
There is one lawyer...
Half-Indian, half-British.
He speaks fluent Hindi.
And he doesn't just speak,
he roars.
Yes, he's a little bit moody,
but he's a genius.
Neville McKinley.
But he's probably wasting away
in some bar in Colaba.
Absolutely correct.
But...
I know a way
to lure him back to court.
Divide and Rule.
Tonight I feel a restless ache
Tonight I feel a restless ache
This moment's real, yet a haze
Tonight I feel a restless ache
Whiskey, please.
Cigarette?
I hear they're bad for health.
We never grasped
the math of it all
Love's a debt
the heart can't resolve
Sayaji Rao Holkar Case,
Bombay High Court...
The way you crushed both,
the police prosecutor
and the opium smugglers...
Damn!
It was brilliant!
Insanity defense, wasn't it?
That day, I told myself...
This man will be one of India's
most famous lawyers.
I'm sorry I didn't live up
to your expectations.
You have a good evening.
Sankaran Nair is dragging
the British Empire to court.
You must've heard the news.
Isn't he an old friend of yours?
So old, I've almost forgotten.
Your friend makes tall claims,
saying he's never lost a case.
But it's true!
But it's also true that
he's never faced me in court.
Exactly.
That's the chance
I'm here to give you.
I've lost interest in old friends...
and have no desire
to make new ones.
What happened with you
was very wrong.
The best lawyer in India,
not being offered a position
on the Viceroy Council?
When I asked people about this,
I felt really angry.
The filthy rumours
they've spread about you...
That you're the illegitimate child
of an East India Company official,
and that your mother
was his mistress-
Shut your stinking little mouth!
You fucking scoundrel!
It's alright.
The one who spread
this rumour was none other
than the other contender
for the council seat.
And he did get the position.
Your old friend...
Sankaran Nair!
How can you forget that day?
I present the esteemed barrister,
Neville McKinley.
Neville.
- Thank you, sir.
- Please.
Has the Viceroy's Council's stature
stooped so low
that a shameless liar
is being admitted in it?
Would you care to tell us
why you lied about
your father's identity?
Lord Chelmsford, what do you
have to say about this?
He's the one who leaked
your most painful truth
to all of the press.
Now, you may not
think much of me,
but the Viceroy holds me
in high regard.
He was asking me
if I know an able lawyer.
The council seat needs
a deserving candidate.
Nearer my God, to thee
Nearer to thee
Nair,
recognize this song?
No?
It's the same song that was
playing in the Titanic,
right before it sank.
Counsel,
I believe it's your first case.
His too -
the first he'll ever lose.
All rise!
Honourable Judge McCardie presiding.
God save the King.
Good luck...
'Sir' Sankaran Nair.
Summon the jury
for Sankaran Nair vs The Crown.
Sir, there are nine Britishers
and three Indians.
Good morning, Your Honour.
Before the proceedings begin,
I'd like to present something
to you and this court.
"General Dyer to be prosecuted
as a war criminal. "
"Is General Dyer a stain
on the Crown?"
"Should General Dyer be allowed
to serve in the army?"
The proceedings haven't even begun,
and the newspapers have already
declared my client,
General Dyer, as guilty.
Hence, I request the court
to bar the press from
attending the proceedings.
Objection, Your Honour.
Knowing about
this case's proceedings
is the fundamental right
of our country's citizens.
This court cannot violate
the right to free speech.
Your Honour,
officers like General Dyer
command their officers
on the basis of trust and respect.
If the press sows doubt
in their minds like this,
the entire armed forces system
will collapse!
For a military man,
his reputation is everything.
-This is outrageous.
-Are you saying it's not? Really?
It's only been a few months
since the World War ended.
I'm just thinking out loud,
Your Honour...
Is it worth putting
the Crown's security
at such great risk?
This court is committed to protecting
the right to free speech, Mr. Nair.
But the threat of a media trial
looms large over this case.
Moreover, such a media trial
could also pose a threat
to the security of the Crown.
On those grounds,
I order the Court Marshals
to empty the courtroom
of the members of the press.
Thank you, Your Honour.
No one could have put that better.
Your Honour, the court cannot
use the law to silence us.
Mr. Nair, do not tell this court
what it can or cannot do.
My order is final.
Mr. McKinley,
please present your opening statement.
According to Mr. Nair's story,
what happened on the 13th of April
at Jallianwala Bagh
was a planned genocide.
That is your prayer, right?
When the truth is,
General Dyer and his troops
were just doing their duty.
And to prove this,
I'd like to call Miss Martha Stevens
to the witness stand.
Objection.
A British woman who was
likely not even at the Bagh...
What has she got
to do with the case?
Oh, let me explain.
A dangerous gang called 'Danda Fauj'
was spreading terror in Amritsar.
From the evening of the 10th,
General Dyer-
Your Honour, we're discussing
the events of the 13th!
To which the events of the 10th
are directly linked, Mr. Nair.
Without understanding them,
this court cannot judge
General Dyer's intent.
Overruled.
Thank you.
The crown wishes to call
Defense witness number two
on the stand, please.
Well done.
Well, it's too early in the day,
but we'll take it.
I swear by Almighty God
that the evidence I shall give
shall be the truth,
the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
For the court records,
please state your name
and occupation.
Martha Stevens.
I teach music at the
Sikh Missionary College.
Ms. Martha, is it true
that on the night of the 11th,
You went to
Sadar Bazaar Police Station
to file a report?
Yes.
What was the report about?
On the evening of the 10th...
Just hold on.
Please...
Please take your time.
There you go.
Are you okay?
Ms. Martha,
whenever you're ready, tell us.
On the evening of the 10th?
On the evening of the 10th,
at 5:30 PM,
as I left the staff room
after finishing work,
a man suddenly grabbed me
in the corridor.
Before I could do anything,
he dragged me into the storeroom.
And then he brutally raped me.
Your Honour,
how is this related
to the events at Jallianwala Bagh?
It is related, Mr. Nair.
Patience, please.
Is this the same man?
Ladies and gentlemen,
Your Honour.
Tanveer Chaudhary...
A student leader of the 'Danda Fauj'.
And this man
even admitted to the crime
with great pride, mind you.
Because according to
Tanveer Chaudhary and Danda Fauj,
this brutal rape wasn't a crime,
it was a revolutionary act!
On the night of the 12th,
Tanveer Chaudhary was arrested.
Hearing the news
of their leader's arrest,
the members of Danda Fauj
took up arms.
On the 13th, thousands of people
had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh,
protesting against the Rowlatt Act.
In fact, a violent protest.
The members of Danda Fauj
blended into the crowd.
They began inciting people.
They wanted to launch
a murderous rebellion
against the British Raj.
They wanted to
burn Amritsar down!
What those people wanted
was to start a deadly revolt,
just like the one in 1857.
What Tanveer did with Martha,
they wanted to do to
all the British women of Punjab!
And that is why,
my client General Dyer-
To protect us,
for our own security,
took this necessary step.
That is all...
Your Honour.
Ms. Martha...
Thank you so much
for your bravery.
Your witness, Mr. Nair!
Your Honour,
I'd like to request a short recess
before we cross examine the witness.
I suspect you will need more
than a short recess, Mr. Nair.
Court is adjourned until Friday.
Sir, even if Martha's testimony is true...
Shooting thousands of innocents
is still wrong, isn't it?
Dilreet, there's no right
or wrong in court,
only winners and losers.
Finally, the Governor
can sleep peacefully!
I didn't quit whiskey
so the Governor can sleep well.
Sankaran Nair is defending a rapist.
From today, this should be
the only thing
on everyone's lips.
Justice for Martha!
Justice for Martha!
Let's go back home.
Some things are best forgotten,
Sankaran.
You're not worried
about yourself or me,
I get it.
But our kids?
What about them?
Thousands died in Jallianwala Bagh...
But that child died because of me.
What about that, Parvathy?
I will definitely fight this case.
The truth about Jallianwala Bagh
will be revealed
to the entire world.
I teach music
at the Sikh Missionary College.
Why did you do it?
All rise!
Honourable Judge McCardie presiding.
God save the King!
Don't be nervous.
Mr. Nair, please begin.
Your Honour,
I request that Dilreet Gill
cross-examine the witness.
Objection.
She's a member of the bar council
and my co-counsel since
the beginning of this case.
Your Honour, it's very evident
that this is a strategy to manipulate
the female members of the jury.
-Your Honour-
-What you call manipulation,
is called sensitivity, Mr. McKinley.
Request granted.
Go ahead, Ms. Gill.
Ms. Stevens,
I know what happened
with you was terrible.
But may I ask you a few questions?
You told the court
that Tanveer Chaudhary dragged
you into the storeroom.
Yes.
Did you scream for help?
Yes, I did.
Did anyone come to your aid?
No, the school was closed.
So at 5:30 pm,
when this incident occurred,
no one was around.
But the school church was open.
And when you screamed
for help at 5:30,
Help!
there was a crowd
at the church.
You okay.
We asked everyone who was there,
but, surprisingly,
no one heard your voice.
Maybe her voice
didn't reach the church?
Right?
It's possible.
So Tanveer Chaudhary dragged you
into the storeroom,
he assaulted you,
and then he brutally raped you.
Did you fight back?
No.
Why?
I was scared.
I froze.
So you are saying that
when he was assaulting you,
you didn't even try to escape?
Objection.
Badgering, Your Honour.
This line of questioning
cannot be acceptable.
Assault victims often get scared...
So scared that their
mind and body shut down.
They freeze.
Sustained.
-Thank you.
-Please move on, Ms. Gill.
You said you were brutally attacked.
Which hospital were you admitted at?
Does he know the answer?
Oh, so a private doctor treated you?
No?
Ms. Stevens, so you never
went to any hospital...
I wonder why.
Have you read the book
'Nine Symphonies'?
Your Honour, what does
this have to do with the case?
Mr McKinley, you will soon see
that this has everything
to do with the case.
Ms. Stevens,
please answer the question.
-Yes I have.
-Lies. Total lies.
I remember each
and every chapter of that book.
Really?
Who wrote the book?
George Grove, in 1876.
Wow, you even remember the year!
How many times
have you heard the book?
I've heard it three times.
'Heard' it three times.
Heard, not read.
Can you tell the court
who read it out to you?
Tell us, who was it?
I'll tell you.
You heard this book
in that very storeroom,
in Tanveer Chaudhary's voice,
wrapped in his arms!
Objection!
Argumentative.
There's absolutely no evidence
to support this claim, Your Honour.
Mr. Nair found this book
in Tanveer Chaudhary's room.
And it says,
"Dear Tanveer...
Love, MS. "
Do you gift all your students
books like this?
Your Honour,
this is their sensitivity!
Tanveer Chaudhary has already
confessed to his crime-
That man could have
stood in the dock
and testified against you.
But instead,
he confessed
that he was guilty.
You know why?
Because he still loves you.
And you re pretending
like you don't care?
How can you lie
so shamelessly?
Is there a question here?
Are you embarrassed
because he's an Indian?
As your honour and pride
is way more important
than an innocent man's life.
-Contempt of court Your Honor.
-That the person can even lay his life for you.
Stop!
I can't do this anymore!
I'm sorry.
I really, really love him.
Tanveer is innocent.
That day, the principal
caught us in the storeroom.
I was with a student...
And for the college,
it was a great crime.
They took us
to the police station.
The next day,
the police offered me a deal.
That I should frame Tanveer
for rape...
Or else they would kill him,
and destroy my family my college,
my school my reputation.
I'm sorry,
I had no other choice.
That's all, Your Honour.
Today's proceedings
have proved one thing...
That Tanveer Chaudhary
was unlawfully arrested.
This court issues an order
for his release,
and orders that the
concerned police officers,
the Sikh Missionary College Principal,
and Martha Stevens
face an appropriate enquiry.
This renders your entire case baseless,
what do you have to say
about that Mr. McKinley?
Your Honour
Like everyone else here,
I'm absolutely shocked...
By Ms. Martha Stevens' confession,
and more so, by this
shoddy police investigation.
However,
I want to point out
something to this court.
Rape cases are investigated
by the police department,
not the military.
Therefore, to insinuate or imply
that my client is involved
in any sort of cover-up
is completely wrong and baseless.
My client only took military action
on the basis of the reports
he was provided.
That is a lie.
It's a bloody lie!
Mr. Nair!
Mind your language.
This is a court of law.
Sorry, Your Honour.
But General Dyer participated
in a pre-planned conspiracy
and misused the police and military
to commit genocide.
But that is your theory, Mr. Nair!
Where's the proof?
Let us not forget,
That we are only here
to determine
whether or not
my client General Dyer
is guilty of genocide.
And as far as that's concerned,
Mr. Nair has provided
no evidence, no photographs,
neither confessions,
nor any eyewitness.
Mr. Nair,
all your evidence is circumstantial.
That is all, Your Honour.
There isn't enough evidence here
to convict anybody of genocide,
let alone a respected military officer
like General Dyer.
This court grants you two days.
If you fail to produce a witness,
your case will be dismissed.
Sir...
All records of the Gorkha and Baluch
regiments have been erased.
It's like they never existed.
Dyer's senior staff
will never open their mouths.
The Press has been
shut out from court.
We have no way out now.
We have no witness,
no point of law...
It's all over!
What happened after that?
They made me sign
a document,
and buried my complaint
in Dyer's military service.
Can you bring me
that military file?
Sir, they won't even
let me near that office.
But there's one man.
He could help you.
Who?
Major Briggs.
Why would he help us?
Because he's not
like the other British officers.
You have no idea
what he did at Jallianwala Bagh.
You got a gun, haven't you?
Then use it MAN!
That's an order, Major.
Shoot!
I said, shoot!
What kind of a man are you?
Counsel, please call your witness.
We call...
General Reginald Dyer.
Objection, Your Honour.
The witness is not on
the plaintiff's list.
You can't call him
without prior notice.
But he's on your witness list.
What's the need for notice?
Mr. Nair has a point.
Let's call the witness.
Thank you, Your Honour.
I swear by Almighty God
that the evidence I give
shall be the truth,
the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
Mr. Nair, go ahead.
Order!
Order!
Silence in the court.
Order!
Mr. Nair, please proceed.
General...
Could you tell the court
how you were involved
in the military operation at
Jallianwala Bagh on April 13th?
Kartar Singh notified me
that the Danda Army
had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh.
Hearing this,
my troops and I reached
Jallianwala Bagh.
Then you fired tear gas there?
No.
Did you fire shots in the air?
No.
So how did you warn
the crowd to disperse?
That wasn't a mere crowd,
they were terrorists.
But they were still humans.
How did you warn them?
I was informed-
You forgot my question.
I asked you,
how did you warn them?
I did not give any warning.
So you didn't follow military law.
You started firing at the crowd
without warning.
I took action based on my
18 years of military experience.
There was no time for a warning!
And, to reiterate...
They were armed with weapons!
Eight... nine...
eleven-month-old babies,
shot by bullets in their tiny chests...
What weapons did they have?
Their Kadas?
Or their clenched fists?
Objection. Argumentative,
Your Honour.
Protecting the nation's security
sometimes costs innocent lives.
Sustained.
Thank you, Your Honour.
Mr. Nair...
Move on, please.
General...
Do you recognize this man?
No.
This is Jaan Nisar Akhtar.
Perhaps your memory is weak...
But he was a soldier
in your platoon.
Two months ago,
General Dyer kicked him mercilessly,
Twenty five times,
with his iron boot.
He begged for mercy,
but he didn't stop.
What kind of Military General
brutalizes his soldiers like this?
-Objection, Your Honour-
-That was his punishment!
For being 15 minutes late
to the base,
you broke three of his ribs
and his spine?
The little bastard
was not obeying army protocol!
Permission to approach the witness,
Your Honour.
Granted.
Thank you.
I haven't come all this way
to lose because of your stupidity.
How dare you!
He wants to provoke you.
Stay calm...
And speak like a military man.
Tell us, why did you hit him?
Two years ago,
during the World War,
I was posted in Burma.
An officer relayed a message
a minute and a half late,
and in one second,
I lost half my battalion
to landmines.
Fifteen minutes is ten times
longer than that,
Mr. Sankaran Nair.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
General Dyer's math is rather weak.
Your Honour, twenty five soldiers
went to the city for a night out.
They all returned to the base
fifteen minutes late...
But only one soldier
was kicked 25 times,
Jaan Nisar Akhtar.
The platoon's only Indian soldier.
According to General Dyer's math,
kicking one Indian soldier
with an iron shoe 25 times,
is equivalent to punishing
24 other British soldiers.
Am I right, General?
Your Honour...
General Dyer's military service records.
These records are proof
that General Dyer is mentally ill.
And his illness is called
Intermittent Explosive Disorder.
He has anger management issues.
Some childhood incidents-
Objection, Your Honour.
My client's personal life
is irrelevant to this case.
This case is deeply related
to General Dyer's behaviour.
Your Honour,
please allow me just a moment.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Bishop Cotton school, Shimla.
That's where General Dyer's
hatred took root.
He went there to study,
but some Indian boys
made fun of his stammer.
They bullied him relentlessly
Stammer-mouth! Stammer-mouth!
The sickness of hatred
wasn't just in his mind,
it ran in his family too.
General Dyer's father believed
hating Indians was his right.
Do you know what God said
when he made an Indian?
Oops! I burnt one!
General Dyer inherited
this hatred from him.
Over time, General Dyer
grew in strength,
and in rank...
And his hatred for Indians
grew with it too.
And soon enough,
he was blinded with rage.
So blinded that
he didn't even realise
that the path to the Bagh was
too narrow for tanks to pass.
How would he?
All he saw was blood.
No mercy.
He wanted to kill Indians
not just with guns,
but blast them with tanks.
He wanted to
blow them into pieces!
Objection!
Mr. Nair is insulting
a loyal fighter for the Crown.
You're not a fighter.
You're a mass murderer!
Objection. Badgering,
Your Honour.
You're repulsed by Indians,
by our entire race...
Your father was a racist...
You are racist...
Your Honour,
the counsel has lost his mind!
When you gave orders to fire
at Jallianwala Bagh,
you were actually shooting
all those Indian kids
at Bishop Cotton School,
who bullied you
for your stammer.
Mr. Nair!
You forced unarmed women
and children to jump into a well,
because you are utterly sick
in heart, mind, and soul!
You stupid fucking Indian!
I should have killed you,
like I killed the rest of them!
How's that for a confession?
That's all, Your Honour.
The court will hear
final arguments tomorrow.
I told you,
but you wouldn't listen.
We should've hired the topmost
British counsel from London!
You are right, General.
The problem is
Nobody wanted to get their hands dirty.
In trying to save a racist
from the charges of genocide.
I will not be spoken to like this.
Enough!
This is not the time
to fight between ourselves.
Mr. McKinley...
It is about time we took some
unlawful steps to stop Sankaran.
Not at all.
You know what's the beauty
of the law?
Everyone breaks it all the time.
The question you have to ask.
Which law is Sankaran Nair
breaking right now?
Where is Mr. Nair?
Good morning, Your Honour.
I regret to inform this court
That Mr. Nair was detained
last night
on very serious allegations
of breach of national security.
Go there.
Search!
Excuse me... Hello!
Mr Kartar! Do you have a warrant?
We've received information,
Mr. Nair...
That you're in possession
of classified military documents.
Yes, to use as evidence
in court against General Dyer.
Who gave you access
to these documents?
That's none of your business, okay?
We're not supposed
to reveal our sources.
Alright, then.
I have to take you and your co-counsel
into custody for questioning.
What? That's ridiculous!
On what grounds?
Oh, there are plenty.
Maybe your husband's a spy?
When Mr. Nair was left
with no witnesses or evidence,
he stooped so low
that he used secret files
to defame a decorated military officer.
He weaponised my client's
childhood trauma
just to provoke him.
What he said in a bout of anger
cannot be deemed a confession.
It can't be taken as evidence
for a serious crime like genocide.
Therefore, Your Honour...
This confession is baseless.
This case was just a means
to defame the Crown.
Therefore, I request
the members of the jury,
this court...
To acquit my client General Dyer,
his fellow officers, and the Crown
of all the charges.
That is all, Your Honour.
Thank you, Mr. McKinley.
The jury will now
come to a decision.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honour.
Court Marshal, if you please.
In the case of
Sankaran Nair vs. The Crown...
This court declares the Crown,
General Dyer,
and his fellow officers as innocent.
Not guilty.
Anyway, thank you.
You're free to go now.
You were right about
one thing, though...
I was bullied by a bunch
of Indian pricks at Bishop Cotton.
One Sardar kid, particularly.
He was vicious.
He made me cry.
But that's alright.
I just took care of a lot
of Sardar kids in Jallianwala.
Get out.
Let's go back home.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
The world needs more
people like you Dilreet.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Take care of yourself.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Today, darkness won over light
Goodness fell without a fight
Even sorrow mocks my plight
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Leave this law profession.
Listen to us.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
my saviour?
Come down from the skies
I'm trapped in a web of grief
No one hears me when I cry
Almighty, hear my plea
There is no one else I seek
No one listens to the plea of the weak
I am hurting badly
I'll reveal it all, just come and see
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
We've received many letters
from Punjab.
I thought you'd be
interested in this one.
It's from Kripal Singh.
My friend Sankaran...
You truly are a strange being...
Just like my son.
He wrote in his final letter
that you came home to meet him.
Before I could answer the letter,
I got the news that
Pargat had slit his wrist.
Trust me, friend...
My son may have been short,
but he was a pro at Kabaddi.
It must've taken at least
three people to take him down.
Two must have held
his hands and feet
while the third cut his vein.
After making the cut,
they must've held
his wrist afterward,
waited and watched him writhe
until the light left his eyes.
But my Pargat was clever-
a real revolutionary.
He knew this could happen someday.
So, playfully, quietly,
little by little...
Before leaving, he passed
his light on to you.
I hope, my friend...
That you will never
let that light go out.
Look, I really like you.
But my mother's worried-
that since you've studied law,
you'll argue a lot at home.
I just want you to somehow
put her fears to rest.
How?
By arguing with her?
We're challenging the court's decision
by filing an appeal.
I want the official copy
of the judgement.
Let's go.
Come on.
What copy, which judgement?
Who are you?
Excuse me?
We're having an
important conversation here.
Young man, let me tell you
something important too.
Bring your mother to court,
so she can learn to argue too.
It'll come in handy.
What?
Let's go. We're getting late.
Come on!
But-
Is this the complete judgement?
Yes, sir.
Are you sure?
A hundred percent, sir.
I got it from the court.
Then where's the verdict
that the jury gave?
Find out all the details
of the jury.
Dilreet!
Thank you
Sir, him...
Him...
And him.
Their bank records.
There's no way
we lose the appeal now.
Appeal dismissed.
Excellent,
thank you very much.
Very good news.
Excuse me?
What?
In cases filed against military officers,
there's very limited scope for appeal.
But Your Honour,
we have new evidence.
We just need another chance.
Mr. Nair,
the lower courts have already
given you many chances.
Please, I just need a minute
to make my case!
The appeal is denied,
thank you.
This court has a duty
towards the truth!
We are done, counsel.
Dismissed!
All rise!
What a loser!
Whether you get money
or a promotion as bribe...
What did you just say?
I am warning you
If I were you
I'd choose my next words very carefully.
Sorry.
I should have said.
Fuck you.
That's it!
You are charged
with contempt of court.
And you're hereby fined
fifty thousand rupees.
Fuck you,
and your fucking courts!
If you don't stop right now,
I shall get you disbarred.
You'll never be able to
practice law again!
Go fuck yourself.
I hereby order
a disbarment hearing against
Mr. Nair next Friday
Bailiff, remove him from my courtroom.
He's dug his grave.
"Fuck you!"
And that bastard had
the audacity to tell me
that I can't control my anger!
Jesus Christ!
The game's over.
Thank you, Mr. McKinley
Welcome to the Viceroy's Council.
I've just defeated him.
I'm yet to destroy him.
His defeat won't get
much attention from the Delhi Press.
What I want...
is for this man
to be humiliated
in front of the entire world.
All journalists, newspapers, media...
Call everyone.
Only then...
will the game be finished.
I like that...
I like that very much.
It will also send a message
to all Indian rats,
that they better not raise
their voices against the Crown.
Let's put on a show, lads.
- Cheers.
- Cheers, gentlemen.
Let's destroy him.
Mr. Nair...
You have been accused of filing
a false case against the Crown,
bringing the British military
into disrepute,
stealing military secrets
and lowering the dignity
of the court by hurling abuses
at a high court judge.
Based on all of this,
we cannot consider you
fit to practice law.
But...
If you plead guilty
to these charges,
and render an apology
to the Crown,
we can consider to show
some leniency to you.
Mr. Nair, do you understand
what is being said here?
Mr. Nair!
I have a request.
May I speak in Hindi?
You may, Mr. Nair.
But no need
for any theatrics here.
I fold my hands,
bow my head,
and kneel to beg for forgiveness...
But not from this Crown.
I ask for forgiveness
from my country...
Because, for many years
I stood in their courts
and committed grave injustice
towards my own people.
Mr. Nair, what nonsense is this?
Sir, my biggest mistake was
that I always thought
that courts only decide
who wins or loses.
But a court's duty isn't
deciding victory or defeat,
it's to determine
right from wrong.
But that's impossible
in your courts,
where telling the truth
puts you in the line of fire.
If you don't stop
with this insolence right away,
The Court Marshals
will drag you out!
Did you hear that?
A bit of hard truth,
and the guns are out!
Just like they came out
at Jallianwala Bagh.
This is your disbarment hearing.
You can't talk about
another case right now!
Actually sir, I can.
Rule 7C of Bar Council Rules...
A tiny by-law,
but a powerful one.
What the devil is he talking about?
We are getting there, Mr. Dyer.
We are getting there.
This law gives me the right
that if I have any evidence
that helps me prove
that the disbarment charges
against me are incorrect,
then I can,
during this hearing-
present them as evidence.
If you don't stop right now,
I shall get you disbarred.
Go fuck yourself.
I hereby order.
A disbarment hearing against
Mr. Nair next Friday
Is this correct?
Neville, is this correct?
He fucking played us.
Stop the press.
- Stop the bloody press!
- That boat has sailed, Mr. Dyer.
And stop interrupting me.
Two months ago,
Judge McCardie pronounced
General Dyer innocent
in the Jallianwala Bagh case.
Not guilty.
In any case,
before acquitting the accused
of all charges
All the jury members
must reach a unanimous verdict.
This means that in
the Jallianwala Bagh case,
all 12 jury members
declared General Dyer 'not guilty'.
Am I right?
With the bench's permission,
I would like to call Juror No. 7,
Harold Laksi to the stand.
Go ahead, Mr. Nair.
Only the truth can save you now
We have your bank records.
Yes Mr. Laksi...
What was your verdict that day?
Guilty.
Can you please be
a little louder, Mr. Laksi?
The world wants to know
What was your verdict?
Guilty!
General Dyer was guilty!
Thank you Mr. Laksi
Juror No. 5 and Juror No. 9
also declared General Dyer guilty.
Here are their written affidavits.
They state that the Crown
used intimidation
threatening and bribing
these jurors into silence.
Not only that,
the Crown even bought off
Judge McCardie with a London posting
to turn him against the Indians.
And that's the reason
the jury verdict was removed
from the official judgement.
The Jallianwala Bagh case
has just one truth,
that the whole world should know:
General Dyer and the British Crown
are guilty of genocide.
Yes!
They are guilty of genocide!
Dyer didn't just
shoot Indians with guns,
he left the wounded trapped
in the Bagh for 12 hours,
So vultures and crows
could eat them alive.
Could eat them alive
And the same night,
Mr Chairman...
General Dyer, while dining
at the European club, said:
"I only stopped shooting,
because I ran out of bullets!"
I always wondered
how one human could be
so cruel to another.
But in the last two years,
I have understood
That we Indians aren't seen
as human by these people.
We are animals to them.
Animals!
That's why they have
boards outside their clubs:
"Dogs and Indians are not allowed!"
And that's why,
during the World War
our men were sent to war
like cattle for slaughter.
Over 74,000 Indian soldiers
died in that war...
A war that wasn't even ours.
And it didn't end there.
Mr. Dyer came up with an
ingenious form of punishment.
"The Crawling order"...
They forced us to crawl like snakes
through our very own streets.
They starve us of our own grain,
And when we pounce on food, desperate...
They laugh at us, saying:
These animals don't even
know how to eat properly!
Yes. that's right.
We are animals!
Animals who can scream,
but not be heard.
Who must bow down to the law,
but cannot get justice.
Who can be a herd,
but never a country!
Well, this herd of animals
is going to become a country...
And these animals
will no longer scream...
They will roar!
Tomorrow's light
won't come from the east,
but from your newspapers.
And tomorrow,
when the light of truth breaks out...
Their guns will start to stutter.
So go ahead - disbar me,
hang me or shoot me...
But hear this loud and clear:
Get the fuck out of my country!
Get the fuck out of our country!
Fuck off from here!
Out you go!
Arrows aimed at the heart
Long live the revolution
A crown that rests with pride
Long live the revolution
The world stands still in awe
To witness your mighty stride
Long live Sankaran Nair!
Long live Sankaran Nair!
Sankaran Nair didn't just indict Dyer,
he exposed the crimes
of the whole British Empire.
Mr. McKinley...
Really?
Aren't you worried about your future?
My whiskey bottle will see me through.
You should worry about their future.
As lieutenant governor of punjab
effective immediately.
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
I was wrong about you.
I thought you would sink
like the Titanic...
But you turned out to be the iceberg.
Brilliant.
Stand down Sergeant.
General...
You have been withdrawn
from the field...
With immediate effect.
Nair sir always spoke of a light...
Our identity,
our freedom,
the light of our thoughts.
My only prayer to Wahe Guru
is that this light
burns bright forever.
My path is lit in a thousand hues
I was drawn to fire
To the colour of truth
My path is lit in a thousand hues
I was drawn to fire
To the colour of truth
I wore the shade of sacrifice
O mother, the hue of valor's light
I wore the colour of freedom's migh t
Now I've set the sky ablaze
Everyone, please sit!
Settle down.
I have a very important message
for you today...
Our revolution will not be stopped!
We won't back down!
We won't back down!
We won't back down!
"Repeal the Rowlatt Act. "
"Repeal the Rowlatt Act. "
"Repeal the Rowlatt Act. "
Pargat!
Pargat!
Yes, Ma?
Come here!
Coming.
Our resistance against British rule...
-Shall continue!
-Shall continue!
Get some rest, son.
You've been at it since morning.
You'll get exhausted.
"If you pause and miss your goal,
regret will chase you forever. "
Dad used to say that.
Have you forgotten?
Never mind.
Go get some sweets
for your sister.
How much can this tiny tot eat?
Brat!
Go.
Wait a minute!
What now?
God bless.
Thanks.
Forward March!
Pargat!
Take your position!
And turn!
Firing position!
Load arms!
They want to scare us.
But we won't budge!
Should we issue them a warning, sir?
Fire!
Pargat!
-Ma!
-Pargat!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Don't jump into the well!
Ma!
Ma, no!
Ma!
Ma, no!
Don't be afraid, love.
I'll be right back with Pargat.
Open the gates!
Pargat!
Over there!
They're climbing the wall!
Pargat!
Ma!
Shoot them!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Ma!
Wahe Guru!
The piercing cries that rose
from Jallianwala Bagh
were the result of a big betrayal.
1914, the First World War.
When the British ran short of soldiers,
they made India a promise:
"Send your men to fight for us,
and we shall grant you freedom. "
Trusting this promise,
over 1.5 million Indians
joined the British Indian Army...
All in the hope that
India would be free.
But when the war ended,
the British betrayed us.
And Punjab, which had sent
the most soldiers to war,
was set ablaze
with revolution.
Long live the revolution!
Long live the revolution!
Professor Kripal Singh
united the youth of Punjab
and led a movement
against the British government.
Sir, one question!
Governor, Kripal Singh is
brazenly leading public protests
and the courts have acquitted him
for the fourth time.
The Crown used every legal trick
to silence Kripal Singh.
But the court acquitted him
every time.
The crown's reputation
was now at stake.
And there was only one man
who could salvage it.
Born and raised in Kerala...
From Kalaripayattu to Kathakali,
from the quill to the courtroom...
A master of it all.
The country's top barrister...
Who had never lost a case.
He was the only Indian member
of the Viceroy's Council.
The British favourite...
Sankaran Nair.
It is about the Cyclone you cannot stop
God save the King.
Tirath Singh.
Legal advisor
to Governor O Dwyer.
I'll be quite honest
with you, Mr. Nair.
We've been through three lawyers,
and none of them could
prove Kripal Singh wrong.
Governor...
There's no right or wrong in court,
only winners and losers.
Kripal Singh writes poetry.
He holds poetry gatherings.
Charging him with sedition
and dragging him
to court repeatedly
is a waste of the court's time.
This entire case is hollow,
Your Honour.
As Mark Twain wrote:
"A lot of sound and fury,
signifying nothing. "
Shakespeare.
What?
Not Twain, Shakespeare.
Your Honour,
my point remains:
For any government,
it's vital to have people
who question it.
The Crown should actually
thank my client.
Your witness, Mr. Nair.
Thank you, Mr. Kripal.
Order, order!
Your Honour,
the truth is that
Kripal Singh is not a criminal,
but in fact,
a very fine poet.
The Crown has indeed
made a mistake
by charging him with sedition.
We're sorry, Mr. Kripal.
I'm a big fan of your poetry.
I've been following your work
for a long time.
I went to your college,
as well as your poetry gatherings...
And discovered some
fascinating things about you.
But before you leave...
May I ask you something?
Do you know
how to make a bomb?
What?
Objection, Your Honour.
Irrelevant.
Mr Kripal...
Bomb?
You are not legally obligated
to answer this question.
I was a soldier
in the British Indian Army.
I fought during the World War too.
Your Honour.
As part of standard soldier training-
Mr. Kripal...
Yes or no?
-Yes, I do.
-Your Honour,
The British Indian Army has had
thousands of Indian soldiers.
They are all trained to make bombs.
Will they all be dragged
to court now?
Just get to the point, Mr. Nair.
Yes, Your Honour.
Who are Khudiram Singh
and Barinder Kumar?
Long live the revolution!
They're students from my college.
A few days ago,
these students from your college
threw bombs at Officer Kingsford's car
outside the Imperial Theatre.
That car burned to ashes,
and he died in the attack.
I'm sorry to hear that.
I can see that.
"The Crown shall be fought,
not just with ink,
but with fire. "
Whose great lines are these?
Mine - but what are you
trying to imply?
That I told those kids
to throw bombs?
Didn't you?
Your Honour,
how is this related to the case?
Your Honour,
Those innocent young men
joined the college to study...
And because of Kripal Singh,
they're now rotting in jail.
He filled their hearts
with hatred for the Crown,
instigated them to throw
a bomb at a British officer,
and then taught them
how to make one.
Or maybe...
He made the bomb himself
and handed it to them.
Writing poetry, reciting verses
and organizing gatherings...
These are trivial accusations.
Kripal Singh must receive
the harshest punishment
for the charge of murdering
Officer Kingsford.
That's all, Your Honour.
The Court agrees with Mr. Nair.
Kripal Singh is being remanded to judicial custody
and he will be charged for conspiracy
to murder under the Indian Penal Code.
Thank you, your honour.
Mr Nair...
How easily you've branded
a revolutionary as a terrorist.
You're a brilliant lawyer,
but you're fighting
for the wrong side.
You too are a brilliant poet...
But poems don't run a nation.
Keep reading.
One day, you'll see the light.
Let's go.
Tell me, Parvathy...
How is it being married
to a barrister?
That's what I want to know!
I have no complaints...
As long as I remain
the judge and jury at home.
And executioner!
Of course.
What if we add another title?
Lady Nair.
Sankaran, the Crown is granting
you Knighthood for your service.
Only a handful of Indians
have received this honour.
Congratulations...
Sir Sankaran Nair.
To Sir Sankaran Nair.
To all here present:
Know ye,
that Sankaran Nair
will hereby be admitted
as a Distinguished Knight
in the Order of the King
by the Viceroy of India.
Pargat!
Pargat!
Come down from the skies
I'm trapped in a web of grief
-Check the trenches.
-No one hears me when I cry
-Arise once, for British Honour.
-Almighty, hear my plea
Twice for duty.
Thrice for chivalry.
Arise, Sir Sankaran Nair.
These wounds run so deep
Please come and heal me
Veera, no!
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Sankaran Nair had no idea
that his life,
written in English ink
would soon be drenched
in the hue of revolution.
And what do you think
the press will say about this?
The press will say
what we want them to say.
They will say that we did
a jolly good thing today.
Visit all the Punjab regional press
offices immediately.
This news cannot come out
at any cost.
Use force if you have to-
stop the press!
From now on, all newspapers must
only carry one story...
Cemeteries and cremation grounds
are overflowing.
The hospitals are stacked with corpses.
Then toss them into the drains.
Governor, the press has been silenced.
But some survivors and their families
are refusing to back down.
Let's pay the survivors
some compensation,
and set up an enquiry commission
whose report shuts everyone up.
If such a commission
is to be set up,
we need an Indian in it.
Well, who better for the job
than our loyal Sankaran Nair?
Various allegations have been
levelled against General Dyer.
Hence, the Crown wants all of you
to investigate this incident
with complete integrity,
so that the country's trust
in the British administration
and justice system
remains intact.
Move aside!
PUNJAB DAILY NEWS:
Bloodbath on Baisakhi
According to the military report,
2332 rounds were fired
on 13th April,
which killed 1650 terrorists.
And when the terrorists fired,
how many of our soldiers died?
None.
That's strange.
What do you think of it, sir?
Right now, all I'm thinking is...
What's for lunch?
Collect your cash
from Desk number 3...
Stay back!
Take your 25 rupees
and move on, old hag!
But what does this say?
We don't have time
for questions.
Just move along-
Hey, soldier!
Soldier, take it easy.
I'll handle it.
You have to put
your thumbprint here,
and collect 25 rupees over there.
That's it.
But son,
what does the document say?
It says that the Crown has offered you
a compensation of 25 rupees
for your loss....
And that you have no complaints
against the Crown or their officers.
The death count
in the hospital records is far more
than what General Dyer's
military report says.
Why are we hiding
the real death count?
I'll speak to the Governor.
We'll increase the compensation,
to satisfy the victims.
Were they victims or terrorists?
Mr. Nair, how does it matter?
What's important is
that the Crown is offering
the families compensation.
And what about
these hospital records?
Are you here to accuse
General Dyer?
If my questions sound like
complaints to you,
then so be it.
Mr. Nair, I fail to understand
what you're trying to imply-
Excuse me.
Yes.
Sir, General Dyer is coming upstairs.
Has Jaan Nisar come today?
-Yes, but I've stopped him outside.
-Good.
Send him in.
Yes sir.
Your wish has been granted.
General Dyer is on his way.
Now you can direct
all your questions
to the man himself.
Good afternoon, General.
How are you?
Very good, how are you?
Very well.
Meet Sir Sankaran Nair.
Pleasure.
Please sit, gentlemen.
After you.
Thank you.
Ah, Jaan Nisar!
General, this is Jaan Nisar.
He comes here every day.
He's got quite a few
complaints against you.
Battalion 36, right?
Have you got
your complaints in writing?
Yes...
But I'll hand them
to the Governor.
Come on, Jaan Nisar. Please.
There go your complaints!
Happy now?
Made your complaint?
Bugger off!
By the way, Mr. Nair...
You had quite a few
complaints too, didn't you?
Sir.
Who is he?
Just some crazy boy, sir.
While everyone else
collects their compensation,
he turns up here daily,
like a walking newspaper.
He says there's at least one Indian
on the Viceroy's commission,
and he's here to tell him
the truth about Jallianwala Bagh.
Did he lose any of
his family members there?
Yes, sir.
His mother and little sister.
Namaste, son.
-My name...
-Sat Sri Akal, sir.
I know who you are.
Come, have a seat.
Here, sir.
Tomorrow's newspaper?
Yes, sir.
But tomorrow is Sunday.
The office will be shut.
Yes, but the newspaper
comes daily, right?
How can the truth
take a day off?
So, Mr. Punjab Daily News...
You paint so beautifully.
You are so talented.
All this protesting
will get you nowhere, son.
You should go to school.
I have my own school in Kerala.
You can learn English there.
What's the point, sir?
Art, stories, poems...
No matter how great...
They don't run a nation, right?
My name is Pargat Singh, sir.
I'm Professor Kripal Singh's son.
Every year,
I eagerly await Baisakhi.
But this year's Baisakhi
was different.
My father was in jail.
I was really missing him...
So my mother bought me
this kurta.
Sky blue in colour.
My father always said,
"I hope that someday,
you and your sister
can breathe in a free India. "
That's it.
That hope is what I wore
as I stepped out that day,
with my mother and sister,
to raise my voice against the British.
Because if the British
committing atrocities are wrong,
even worse are the Indians
who suffer in silence.
Therefore, Mr. Nair...
I don't think I will ever go
to the school of thought
you belong to.
General Dyer, it seems you'll sleep
-peacefully after tomorrow's verdict.
-Are you okay?
Don't take him for a wimp,
our boy Dyer!
He was determined to cleanse Amritsar
for once and for all
of all those bloody Sardars.
I hear barely a bullet was wasted!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'd like to raise a toast
to the Viceroy's Commission.
The Viceroy's Commission!
I need to get some air.
God save the King!
God save the King!
God save the King!
Please stop, sir.
You can't enter.
I'm a member
of the Viceroy's Commission!
Sir, whoever you are...
I'm just doing my job.
Sir, stop!
Can you believe it, Mr. Dyer?
Well, I don't wish to seem heartless,
dear chap, but...
Them's the rules!
As a lawyer,
you ought to know that...
'Sir' Sankaran Nair!
Excuse me.
If the British
committing atrocities are wrong,
even worse are the Indians
who suffer in silence.
The members of the Viceroy's Commission
unanimously pronounce
General Dyer not guilty.
No one can win
against the Crown, Nair.
Stay quiet.
-But...
-Your work here is done.
Thank you,
Sir Sankaran Nair.
Sir.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
What happened to him?
He slit his wrist.
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Today, darkness won over light
Goodness fell without a fight
Even sorrow mocks my plight
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
How long will you run, Mr Nair?
My name is Dilreet Gill.
You were a huge inspiration
to me, sir.
Thanks to you, I fought my family
and came here from Jalandhar,
to study law.
But today, I'm disappointed.
Sir, you were a part
of the Viceroy's Commission.
You know the truth.
The world needs to know
what happened at Jallianwala Bagh.
We must fight for the truth.
Dilreet, fighting your family,
and fighting the crown
are very different things.
But that 13 year old boy
fought against the Crown.
And we, with all our
fancy law degrees
can't fight for the truth.
I'm sorry, I have to leave.
Have you ever been
to Jallianwala Bagh?
I have.
It's been four months...
The walls are still marked
with bullet holes and blood.
If you go close to the walls,
you can hear whispers.
You know, sir...
When walls begin to speak,
and you go silent...
It really makes you think...
It makes you wonder...
Who really died?
Here's Pargat's last newspaper,
to tell the world the truth.
Take it sir, it's for you.
But you know
what the biggest truth is?
One that no one will ever know?
Thousands died because of Dyer...
But that kid died
because of you.
And I won't let
his death be in vain.
What the hell is this?
Someone's filed a case against us
over Jallianwala Bagh.
Oh, stop making such a bloody fuss!
Sir, I just need to file
one motion to dismiss,
and this case will never go to trial.
There's no reason to worry-
The reason to worry
is Judge McCardie.
He's honest,
and sympathetic to the Indians.
And all proceedings in his court
are conducted in Hindi.
And who the hell
is this Dilreet Gill?
Who cares!
You think a lady lawyer
stands a chance,
that too fighting a case
against the Crown?
I fear she may have
uncovered some evidence.
Impossible, sir!
It's her very first case.
First, and last.
Exactly.
No matter what...
This case cannot go to trial.
Of course it bloody won't!
All rise!
Honourable Judge McCardie presiding.
God save the King!
Your Honour,
before I begin,
I would like to file
an application for attorney
for my co-counsel,
Mr. Sankaran Nair.
Rise, O lion
Let them hear you roar
The world waits breathlessly
To see you rise and soar
Arrows aimed at the heart
A crown that rests with pride
The world stands still in awe
To witness your mighty stride
Arrows aimed at the heart
A crown that rests with pride
Fire!
O Motherland, I've no regrets
For you, I'd bear a hundred blows
May your glory shine forever
Even if my last breath flows
Climb over the wall and run!
O Motherland, my beloved
Your love runs through my veins
Each drop of my blood ensures
Your colours shall never fade
Oh, the door is closed.
To blend into your soil
And bloom like a flower bright
That's all my heart desires
Maa don't jump into the well!
To flow in your rivers deep
To sway in your golden fields
That's all my heart desires
Send a telegram to Jalandhar.
Inform the Gill family
that their daughter
is about to fight
the country's biggest case.
We are suing the Crown for genocide.
Kesari!
But sir, this only has my name.
We must keep my involvement
secret before the hearing.
Or the British police
will be on our trail,
and we won't be able
to collect any evidence.
Quietly scan every neighbourhood,
knock on every door...
And find out what
happened in this city
till the day of Baisakhi.
Sat Sri Akal!
That day at Jallianwala-
A curfew was announced
on the 13th...
Then why did you all gather
at Jallianwala Bagh?
What curfew?
We had set out marching from
Katra Kotwali towards the Bagh.
We just went to hear
Kanhaiya Lal's speech.
Sir, we still don't have
any direct evidence.
There's no confession,
eyewitness testimonies,
any photographs, or...
Paintings?
Pargat's paintings?
I want the air logs.
But sir, how will we
access military records?
The British military
has enough corrupt officers.
Were there many soldiers
here that day?
Were most of them Indian,
or British?
Some were from Nepal,
some from Afghanistan.
Now we know why Dyer opened fire.
Please begin.
Your Honour,
what happened on 13th April
at Jallianwala Bagh
was a well-planned conspiracy,
rather than military action
in self-defence.
It was a genocide, where innocents-
Objection, My Lord.
The protestors at Jallianwala Bagh
were far from innocent.
They were rioters,
armed and dangerous.
In that case,
how many weapons were found
under those heaps of corpses?
They were just responsible citizens
who stepped out that day
to protest the Rowlatt Act.
If they were so responsible,
they would've followed
General Dyer's curfew orders.
The curfew was a sham.
Just six minutes away
from Jallianwala Bagh
lies the Harminder Saheb police station.
That day, thousands crossed
the police station,
but the Collector,
Kartar Singh stopped no one.
The curfew was just an excuse
to frame those innocent folks
as terrorists
and shoot them mercilessly.
Your Honour,
I request permission to summon
Collector Kartar Singh.
You may call the witness.
Was it your responsibility
to declare curfew?
Yes, indeed.
Did General Dyer
give you any orders
that prevented you from
carrying out your duties?
Not at all.
So what happened
on the 13th of April?
I was at the police station.
I was working on a report.
Around 4 PM,
An armed group of thousands
from the 'Danda Fauj'
marched past the police station,
heading towards Jallianwala Bagh.
I immediately went in,
grabbed the loudspeaker,
and asked the crowd:
"Where are you going?"
"There's a curfew on!"
But no one listened to me.
They didn't care!
Instead, they drew weapons...
Raising swords and chanting:
"We'll soak the earth in blood!"
That's when I realised
there could be a riot.
So I immediately called
for reinforcements.
No further questions, Your Honour.
Your witness, Mr. Nair.
Mr Kartar Singh,
what's the protocol
for requesting reinforcements?
Don't you need to inform
the district superintendent,
who then coordinates with
the collectorate office
to get reinforcements
from military headquarters?
Isn't it like that?
Yes.
So he bypassed this entire process,
and sent a request for reinforcements
directly to military headquarters...
Specifically to General Dyer!
Interesting.
And about the announcement...
Yes, there was one on 13th April,
but not from you...
The announcement came
from a man claiming
that renowned leader Kanhaiya Lal
would be at Jallianwala Bagh
that evening...
when at the time, he was at
a poetry convention in Patiala.
Perhaps this was
General Dyer's ploy
to gather as many people
as possible at Jallianwala Bagh?
What do you think?
No further questions, Your Honour.
Witness is dismissed.
Sir.
My Lord,
Mr. Nair has neither evidence
nor witnesses...
Just conspiracy theories.
If these are just theories,
then let me bring up a fact.
When General Dyer already had
thousands of soldiers
from the Sikh Infantry
at his command,
why did he call for
the Gurkha and Baluch regiments
via an urgent telegram on April 10?
Was it because he knew
that the Sikh regiment would
never fire on their own people?
Mr. Nair, you should be more careful
before slandering such
a professional unit.
It was a routine military deployment
that has been recorded.
Fair enough.
Fair enough.
Your Honour,
this is the Army's air logbook.
On April 13,
a plane flew over Jallianwala Bagh,
very close to the ground...
Before quickly changing course
and returning to base.
This happened around 5 PM...
Half an hour before
General Dyer arrived.
Why?
I think Mr. Dyer needs you.
That aircraft was transferring an officer
from Amritsar to Jalandhar.
Okay.
So tell me,
why would a professional army,
known for maintaining
meticulous records,
have no record of this transfer
in their air logbook?
Where is the record?
Because it was an illegal surveillance.
That aircraft was sent
to help General Dyer estimate
the size of the crowd.
My Lord,
Mr. Nair is using this aircraft
to change the course of the case.
A crowd of thousands gathered
at Jallianwala Bagh that day.
They made deadly threats,
and they were armed
with weapons at the time.
Were they not?
Yes, they were.
They were armed.
This was their weapon!
The Sentinel...
Journalist Stuart Thorpe's article.
April 9th, the festival of Ram Navami.
Amritsar's Hindu leader Satya Pal Singh
and Muslim leader Saifuddin Kitchlew
led a massive rally against
the British "Divide and Rule" policy,
right in front of General Dyer's eyes.
Bar their bloody way!
Stand back, I tell you!
This was the first time
that Hindus and Muslims
celebrated Ram Navami together.
Hindu-Muslim unity
was the weapon,
that scared not only General Dyer,
but the entire British government.
And that is the motive for genocide!
This is ridiculous.
How does this prove genocide?
I will prove it, Your Honour.
I will prove it.
On 9th April,
Ram Navami was celebrated.
On 10th April, the Gurkha and Baluch
regiments were urgently summoned.
On 13th April, people were lured
into Jallianwala Bagh.
That very evening, an aircraft
surveyed Jallianwala Bagh.
And then, within half an hour,
General Dyer sprayed bullets
on unarmed, innocent civilians!
If all this doesn't prove genocide,
then what else will?
Mr Nair, that is enough!
Yes, I agree, that's enough!
1650 innocents dead...
That is the official figure
given by the Crown.
But the real figure,
we may never know!
I feel there is ample evidence
to suggest that this case
should go into trial.
Proceedings against General Dyer
will begin next week.
Court is adjourned.
Rise, O lion
Let them hear you roar!
The world waits breathlessly
To see you rise and soar
Arrows aimed at the hear t
A crown that rests with pride
The world stands still in awe
To witness your mighty stride
Goddammit,
you don't belong in here!
Don't forget that you're still
a slave of the British Empire.
The Empire is shrinking.
Sir Nair, an Indian lady lawyer
is your co-counsel.
That's one heck of a thing!
Why are you surprised?
Doesn't your England have queens?
The Amritsar District Court
has approved Sankaran Nair's petition,
to proceed with a case
against General Dyer and the Crown.
This raises the question:
Did General Dyer
mastermind a conspiracy
to orchestrate the massacre
at Jallianwala Bagh?
The entire nation
is now demanding answers,
and the pressure has reached
the elite chambers of the British.
Nair.
You know what's worse
than fucking with your boss?
Fucking with your boss's boss.
Now the Viceroy is asking:
How could this all
go so out of control?
We will get rid of Nair,
by whatever means necessary.
Have you gone mad?
We are talking about
a British Knight.
An ex-member of
the Viceroy's Council,
with the media spotlight on him!
We can't afford to touch him!
There's only one way
out of this mess...
Giving him a crushing response
in court.
Then we bring the best
British lawyer from London-
Absolutely not.
That'll make the jury think
we're hiding something.
This case must be fought
by an Indian lawyer.
All the Indian lawyers are following
in Gandhi's footsteps.
There is one lawyer...
Half-Indian, half-British.
He speaks fluent Hindi.
And he doesn't just speak,
he roars.
Yes, he's a little bit moody,
but he's a genius.
Neville McKinley.
But he's probably wasting away
in some bar in Colaba.
Absolutely correct.
But...
I know a way
to lure him back to court.
Divide and Rule.
Tonight I feel a restless ache
Tonight I feel a restless ache
This moment's real, yet a haze
Tonight I feel a restless ache
Whiskey, please.
Cigarette?
I hear they're bad for health.
We never grasped
the math of it all
Love's a debt
the heart can't resolve
Sayaji Rao Holkar Case,
Bombay High Court...
The way you crushed both,
the police prosecutor
and the opium smugglers...
Damn!
It was brilliant!
Insanity defense, wasn't it?
That day, I told myself...
This man will be one of India's
most famous lawyers.
I'm sorry I didn't live up
to your expectations.
You have a good evening.
Sankaran Nair is dragging
the British Empire to court.
You must've heard the news.
Isn't he an old friend of yours?
So old, I've almost forgotten.
Your friend makes tall claims,
saying he's never lost a case.
But it's true!
But it's also true that
he's never faced me in court.
Exactly.
That's the chance
I'm here to give you.
I've lost interest in old friends...
and have no desire
to make new ones.
What happened with you
was very wrong.
The best lawyer in India,
not being offered a position
on the Viceroy Council?
When I asked people about this,
I felt really angry.
The filthy rumours
they've spread about you...
That you're the illegitimate child
of an East India Company official,
and that your mother
was his mistress-
Shut your stinking little mouth!
You fucking scoundrel!
It's alright.
The one who spread
this rumour was none other
than the other contender
for the council seat.
And he did get the position.
Your old friend...
Sankaran Nair!
How can you forget that day?
I present the esteemed barrister,
Neville McKinley.
Neville.
- Thank you, sir.
- Please.
Has the Viceroy's Council's stature
stooped so low
that a shameless liar
is being admitted in it?
Would you care to tell us
why you lied about
your father's identity?
Lord Chelmsford, what do you
have to say about this?
He's the one who leaked
your most painful truth
to all of the press.
Now, you may not
think much of me,
but the Viceroy holds me
in high regard.
He was asking me
if I know an able lawyer.
The council seat needs
a deserving candidate.
Nearer my God, to thee
Nearer to thee
Nair,
recognize this song?
No?
It's the same song that was
playing in the Titanic,
right before it sank.
Counsel,
I believe it's your first case.
His too -
the first he'll ever lose.
All rise!
Honourable Judge McCardie presiding.
God save the King.
Good luck...
'Sir' Sankaran Nair.
Summon the jury
for Sankaran Nair vs The Crown.
Sir, there are nine Britishers
and three Indians.
Good morning, Your Honour.
Before the proceedings begin,
I'd like to present something
to you and this court.
"General Dyer to be prosecuted
as a war criminal. "
"Is General Dyer a stain
on the Crown?"
"Should General Dyer be allowed
to serve in the army?"
The proceedings haven't even begun,
and the newspapers have already
declared my client,
General Dyer, as guilty.
Hence, I request the court
to bar the press from
attending the proceedings.
Objection, Your Honour.
Knowing about
this case's proceedings
is the fundamental right
of our country's citizens.
This court cannot violate
the right to free speech.
Your Honour,
officers like General Dyer
command their officers
on the basis of trust and respect.
If the press sows doubt
in their minds like this,
the entire armed forces system
will collapse!
For a military man,
his reputation is everything.
-This is outrageous.
-Are you saying it's not? Really?
It's only been a few months
since the World War ended.
I'm just thinking out loud,
Your Honour...
Is it worth putting
the Crown's security
at such great risk?
This court is committed to protecting
the right to free speech, Mr. Nair.
But the threat of a media trial
looms large over this case.
Moreover, such a media trial
could also pose a threat
to the security of the Crown.
On those grounds,
I order the Court Marshals
to empty the courtroom
of the members of the press.
Thank you, Your Honour.
No one could have put that better.
Your Honour, the court cannot
use the law to silence us.
Mr. Nair, do not tell this court
what it can or cannot do.
My order is final.
Mr. McKinley,
please present your opening statement.
According to Mr. Nair's story,
what happened on the 13th of April
at Jallianwala Bagh
was a planned genocide.
That is your prayer, right?
When the truth is,
General Dyer and his troops
were just doing their duty.
And to prove this,
I'd like to call Miss Martha Stevens
to the witness stand.
Objection.
A British woman who was
likely not even at the Bagh...
What has she got
to do with the case?
Oh, let me explain.
A dangerous gang called 'Danda Fauj'
was spreading terror in Amritsar.
From the evening of the 10th,
General Dyer-
Your Honour, we're discussing
the events of the 13th!
To which the events of the 10th
are directly linked, Mr. Nair.
Without understanding them,
this court cannot judge
General Dyer's intent.
Overruled.
Thank you.
The crown wishes to call
Defense witness number two
on the stand, please.
Well done.
Well, it's too early in the day,
but we'll take it.
I swear by Almighty God
that the evidence I shall give
shall be the truth,
the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
For the court records,
please state your name
and occupation.
Martha Stevens.
I teach music at the
Sikh Missionary College.
Ms. Martha, is it true
that on the night of the 11th,
You went to
Sadar Bazaar Police Station
to file a report?
Yes.
What was the report about?
On the evening of the 10th...
Just hold on.
Please...
Please take your time.
There you go.
Are you okay?
Ms. Martha,
whenever you're ready, tell us.
On the evening of the 10th?
On the evening of the 10th,
at 5:30 PM,
as I left the staff room
after finishing work,
a man suddenly grabbed me
in the corridor.
Before I could do anything,
he dragged me into the storeroom.
And then he brutally raped me.
Your Honour,
how is this related
to the events at Jallianwala Bagh?
It is related, Mr. Nair.
Patience, please.
Is this the same man?
Ladies and gentlemen,
Your Honour.
Tanveer Chaudhary...
A student leader of the 'Danda Fauj'.
And this man
even admitted to the crime
with great pride, mind you.
Because according to
Tanveer Chaudhary and Danda Fauj,
this brutal rape wasn't a crime,
it was a revolutionary act!
On the night of the 12th,
Tanveer Chaudhary was arrested.
Hearing the news
of their leader's arrest,
the members of Danda Fauj
took up arms.
On the 13th, thousands of people
had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh,
protesting against the Rowlatt Act.
In fact, a violent protest.
The members of Danda Fauj
blended into the crowd.
They began inciting people.
They wanted to launch
a murderous rebellion
against the British Raj.
They wanted to
burn Amritsar down!
What those people wanted
was to start a deadly revolt,
just like the one in 1857.
What Tanveer did with Martha,
they wanted to do to
all the British women of Punjab!
And that is why,
my client General Dyer-
To protect us,
for our own security,
took this necessary step.
That is all...
Your Honour.
Ms. Martha...
Thank you so much
for your bravery.
Your witness, Mr. Nair!
Your Honour,
I'd like to request a short recess
before we cross examine the witness.
I suspect you will need more
than a short recess, Mr. Nair.
Court is adjourned until Friday.
Sir, even if Martha's testimony is true...
Shooting thousands of innocents
is still wrong, isn't it?
Dilreet, there's no right
or wrong in court,
only winners and losers.
Finally, the Governor
can sleep peacefully!
I didn't quit whiskey
so the Governor can sleep well.
Sankaran Nair is defending a rapist.
From today, this should be
the only thing
on everyone's lips.
Justice for Martha!
Justice for Martha!
Let's go back home.
Some things are best forgotten,
Sankaran.
You're not worried
about yourself or me,
I get it.
But our kids?
What about them?
Thousands died in Jallianwala Bagh...
But that child died because of me.
What about that, Parvathy?
I will definitely fight this case.
The truth about Jallianwala Bagh
will be revealed
to the entire world.
I teach music
at the Sikh Missionary College.
Why did you do it?
All rise!
Honourable Judge McCardie presiding.
God save the King!
Don't be nervous.
Mr. Nair, please begin.
Your Honour,
I request that Dilreet Gill
cross-examine the witness.
Objection.
She's a member of the bar council
and my co-counsel since
the beginning of this case.
Your Honour, it's very evident
that this is a strategy to manipulate
the female members of the jury.
-Your Honour-
-What you call manipulation,
is called sensitivity, Mr. McKinley.
Request granted.
Go ahead, Ms. Gill.
Ms. Stevens,
I know what happened
with you was terrible.
But may I ask you a few questions?
You told the court
that Tanveer Chaudhary dragged
you into the storeroom.
Yes.
Did you scream for help?
Yes, I did.
Did anyone come to your aid?
No, the school was closed.
So at 5:30 pm,
when this incident occurred,
no one was around.
But the school church was open.
And when you screamed
for help at 5:30,
Help!
there was a crowd
at the church.
You okay.
We asked everyone who was there,
but, surprisingly,
no one heard your voice.
Maybe her voice
didn't reach the church?
Right?
It's possible.
So Tanveer Chaudhary dragged you
into the storeroom,
he assaulted you,
and then he brutally raped you.
Did you fight back?
No.
Why?
I was scared.
I froze.
So you are saying that
when he was assaulting you,
you didn't even try to escape?
Objection.
Badgering, Your Honour.
This line of questioning
cannot be acceptable.
Assault victims often get scared...
So scared that their
mind and body shut down.
They freeze.
Sustained.
-Thank you.
-Please move on, Ms. Gill.
You said you were brutally attacked.
Which hospital were you admitted at?
Does he know the answer?
Oh, so a private doctor treated you?
No?
Ms. Stevens, so you never
went to any hospital...
I wonder why.
Have you read the book
'Nine Symphonies'?
Your Honour, what does
this have to do with the case?
Mr McKinley, you will soon see
that this has everything
to do with the case.
Ms. Stevens,
please answer the question.
-Yes I have.
-Lies. Total lies.
I remember each
and every chapter of that book.
Really?
Who wrote the book?
George Grove, in 1876.
Wow, you even remember the year!
How many times
have you heard the book?
I've heard it three times.
'Heard' it three times.
Heard, not read.
Can you tell the court
who read it out to you?
Tell us, who was it?
I'll tell you.
You heard this book
in that very storeroom,
in Tanveer Chaudhary's voice,
wrapped in his arms!
Objection!
Argumentative.
There's absolutely no evidence
to support this claim, Your Honour.
Mr. Nair found this book
in Tanveer Chaudhary's room.
And it says,
"Dear Tanveer...
Love, MS. "
Do you gift all your students
books like this?
Your Honour,
this is their sensitivity!
Tanveer Chaudhary has already
confessed to his crime-
That man could have
stood in the dock
and testified against you.
But instead,
he confessed
that he was guilty.
You know why?
Because he still loves you.
And you re pretending
like you don't care?
How can you lie
so shamelessly?
Is there a question here?
Are you embarrassed
because he's an Indian?
As your honour and pride
is way more important
than an innocent man's life.
-Contempt of court Your Honor.
-That the person can even lay his life for you.
Stop!
I can't do this anymore!
I'm sorry.
I really, really love him.
Tanveer is innocent.
That day, the principal
caught us in the storeroom.
I was with a student...
And for the college,
it was a great crime.
They took us
to the police station.
The next day,
the police offered me a deal.
That I should frame Tanveer
for rape...
Or else they would kill him,
and destroy my family my college,
my school my reputation.
I'm sorry,
I had no other choice.
That's all, Your Honour.
Today's proceedings
have proved one thing...
That Tanveer Chaudhary
was unlawfully arrested.
This court issues an order
for his release,
and orders that the
concerned police officers,
the Sikh Missionary College Principal,
and Martha Stevens
face an appropriate enquiry.
This renders your entire case baseless,
what do you have to say
about that Mr. McKinley?
Your Honour
Like everyone else here,
I'm absolutely shocked...
By Ms. Martha Stevens' confession,
and more so, by this
shoddy police investigation.
However,
I want to point out
something to this court.
Rape cases are investigated
by the police department,
not the military.
Therefore, to insinuate or imply
that my client is involved
in any sort of cover-up
is completely wrong and baseless.
My client only took military action
on the basis of the reports
he was provided.
That is a lie.
It's a bloody lie!
Mr. Nair!
Mind your language.
This is a court of law.
Sorry, Your Honour.
But General Dyer participated
in a pre-planned conspiracy
and misused the police and military
to commit genocide.
But that is your theory, Mr. Nair!
Where's the proof?
Let us not forget,
That we are only here
to determine
whether or not
my client General Dyer
is guilty of genocide.
And as far as that's concerned,
Mr. Nair has provided
no evidence, no photographs,
neither confessions,
nor any eyewitness.
Mr. Nair,
all your evidence is circumstantial.
That is all, Your Honour.
There isn't enough evidence here
to convict anybody of genocide,
let alone a respected military officer
like General Dyer.
This court grants you two days.
If you fail to produce a witness,
your case will be dismissed.
Sir...
All records of the Gorkha and Baluch
regiments have been erased.
It's like they never existed.
Dyer's senior staff
will never open their mouths.
The Press has been
shut out from court.
We have no way out now.
We have no witness,
no point of law...
It's all over!
What happened after that?
They made me sign
a document,
and buried my complaint
in Dyer's military service.
Can you bring me
that military file?
Sir, they won't even
let me near that office.
But there's one man.
He could help you.
Who?
Major Briggs.
Why would he help us?
Because he's not
like the other British officers.
You have no idea
what he did at Jallianwala Bagh.
You got a gun, haven't you?
Then use it MAN!
That's an order, Major.
Shoot!
I said, shoot!
What kind of a man are you?
Counsel, please call your witness.
We call...
General Reginald Dyer.
Objection, Your Honour.
The witness is not on
the plaintiff's list.
You can't call him
without prior notice.
But he's on your witness list.
What's the need for notice?
Mr. Nair has a point.
Let's call the witness.
Thank you, Your Honour.
I swear by Almighty God
that the evidence I give
shall be the truth,
the whole truth,
and nothing but the truth.
Mr. Nair, go ahead.
Order!
Order!
Silence in the court.
Order!
Mr. Nair, please proceed.
General...
Could you tell the court
how you were involved
in the military operation at
Jallianwala Bagh on April 13th?
Kartar Singh notified me
that the Danda Army
had gathered at Jallianwala Bagh.
Hearing this,
my troops and I reached
Jallianwala Bagh.
Then you fired tear gas there?
No.
Did you fire shots in the air?
No.
So how did you warn
the crowd to disperse?
That wasn't a mere crowd,
they were terrorists.
But they were still humans.
How did you warn them?
I was informed-
You forgot my question.
I asked you,
how did you warn them?
I did not give any warning.
So you didn't follow military law.
You started firing at the crowd
without warning.
I took action based on my
18 years of military experience.
There was no time for a warning!
And, to reiterate...
They were armed with weapons!
Eight... nine...
eleven-month-old babies,
shot by bullets in their tiny chests...
What weapons did they have?
Their Kadas?
Or their clenched fists?
Objection. Argumentative,
Your Honour.
Protecting the nation's security
sometimes costs innocent lives.
Sustained.
Thank you, Your Honour.
Mr. Nair...
Move on, please.
General...
Do you recognize this man?
No.
This is Jaan Nisar Akhtar.
Perhaps your memory is weak...
But he was a soldier
in your platoon.
Two months ago,
General Dyer kicked him mercilessly,
Twenty five times,
with his iron boot.
He begged for mercy,
but he didn't stop.
What kind of Military General
brutalizes his soldiers like this?
-Objection, Your Honour-
-That was his punishment!
For being 15 minutes late
to the base,
you broke three of his ribs
and his spine?
The little bastard
was not obeying army protocol!
Permission to approach the witness,
Your Honour.
Granted.
Thank you.
I haven't come all this way
to lose because of your stupidity.
How dare you!
He wants to provoke you.
Stay calm...
And speak like a military man.
Tell us, why did you hit him?
Two years ago,
during the World War,
I was posted in Burma.
An officer relayed a message
a minute and a half late,
and in one second,
I lost half my battalion
to landmines.
Fifteen minutes is ten times
longer than that,
Mr. Sankaran Nair.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
General Dyer's math is rather weak.
Your Honour, twenty five soldiers
went to the city for a night out.
They all returned to the base
fifteen minutes late...
But only one soldier
was kicked 25 times,
Jaan Nisar Akhtar.
The platoon's only Indian soldier.
According to General Dyer's math,
kicking one Indian soldier
with an iron shoe 25 times,
is equivalent to punishing
24 other British soldiers.
Am I right, General?
Your Honour...
General Dyer's military service records.
These records are proof
that General Dyer is mentally ill.
And his illness is called
Intermittent Explosive Disorder.
He has anger management issues.
Some childhood incidents-
Objection, Your Honour.
My client's personal life
is irrelevant to this case.
This case is deeply related
to General Dyer's behaviour.
Your Honour,
please allow me just a moment.
Go ahead.
Thank you.
Bishop Cotton school, Shimla.
That's where General Dyer's
hatred took root.
He went there to study,
but some Indian boys
made fun of his stammer.
They bullied him relentlessly
Stammer-mouth! Stammer-mouth!
The sickness of hatred
wasn't just in his mind,
it ran in his family too.
General Dyer's father believed
hating Indians was his right.
Do you know what God said
when he made an Indian?
Oops! I burnt one!
General Dyer inherited
this hatred from him.
Over time, General Dyer
grew in strength,
and in rank...
And his hatred for Indians
grew with it too.
And soon enough,
he was blinded with rage.
So blinded that
he didn't even realise
that the path to the Bagh was
too narrow for tanks to pass.
How would he?
All he saw was blood.
No mercy.
He wanted to kill Indians
not just with guns,
but blast them with tanks.
He wanted to
blow them into pieces!
Objection!
Mr. Nair is insulting
a loyal fighter for the Crown.
You're not a fighter.
You're a mass murderer!
Objection. Badgering,
Your Honour.
You're repulsed by Indians,
by our entire race...
Your father was a racist...
You are racist...
Your Honour,
the counsel has lost his mind!
When you gave orders to fire
at Jallianwala Bagh,
you were actually shooting
all those Indian kids
at Bishop Cotton School,
who bullied you
for your stammer.
Mr. Nair!
You forced unarmed women
and children to jump into a well,
because you are utterly sick
in heart, mind, and soul!
You stupid fucking Indian!
I should have killed you,
like I killed the rest of them!
How's that for a confession?
That's all, Your Honour.
The court will hear
final arguments tomorrow.
I told you,
but you wouldn't listen.
We should've hired the topmost
British counsel from London!
You are right, General.
The problem is
Nobody wanted to get their hands dirty.
In trying to save a racist
from the charges of genocide.
I will not be spoken to like this.
Enough!
This is not the time
to fight between ourselves.
Mr. McKinley...
It is about time we took some
unlawful steps to stop Sankaran.
Not at all.
You know what's the beauty
of the law?
Everyone breaks it all the time.
The question you have to ask.
Which law is Sankaran Nair
breaking right now?
Where is Mr. Nair?
Good morning, Your Honour.
I regret to inform this court
That Mr. Nair was detained
last night
on very serious allegations
of breach of national security.
Go there.
Search!
Excuse me... Hello!
Mr Kartar! Do you have a warrant?
We've received information,
Mr. Nair...
That you're in possession
of classified military documents.
Yes, to use as evidence
in court against General Dyer.
Who gave you access
to these documents?
That's none of your business, okay?
We're not supposed
to reveal our sources.
Alright, then.
I have to take you and your co-counsel
into custody for questioning.
What? That's ridiculous!
On what grounds?
Oh, there are plenty.
Maybe your husband's a spy?
When Mr. Nair was left
with no witnesses or evidence,
he stooped so low
that he used secret files
to defame a decorated military officer.
He weaponised my client's
childhood trauma
just to provoke him.
What he said in a bout of anger
cannot be deemed a confession.
It can't be taken as evidence
for a serious crime like genocide.
Therefore, Your Honour...
This confession is baseless.
This case was just a means
to defame the Crown.
Therefore, I request
the members of the jury,
this court...
To acquit my client General Dyer,
his fellow officers, and the Crown
of all the charges.
That is all, Your Honour.
Thank you, Mr. McKinley.
The jury will now
come to a decision.
Has the jury reached a verdict?
We have, Your Honour.
Court Marshal, if you please.
In the case of
Sankaran Nair vs. The Crown...
This court declares the Crown,
General Dyer,
and his fellow officers as innocent.
Not guilty.
Anyway, thank you.
You're free to go now.
You were right about
one thing, though...
I was bullied by a bunch
of Indian pricks at Bishop Cotton.
One Sardar kid, particularly.
He was vicious.
He made me cry.
But that's alright.
I just took care of a lot
of Sardar kids in Jallianwala.
Get out.
Let's go back home.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
The world needs more
people like you Dilreet.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Take care of yourself.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Today, darkness won over light
Goodness fell without a fight
Even sorrow mocks my plight
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Leave this law profession.
Listen to us.
Where have you gone, my saviour?
my saviour?
Come down from the skies
I'm trapped in a web of grief
No one hears me when I cry
Almighty, hear my plea
There is no one else I seek
No one listens to the plea of the weak
I am hurting badly
I'll reveal it all, just come and see
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Where have you gone, my saviour?
Hear my aching cries
Where have you gone, my saviour?
We've received many letters
from Punjab.
I thought you'd be
interested in this one.
It's from Kripal Singh.
My friend Sankaran...
You truly are a strange being...
Just like my son.
He wrote in his final letter
that you came home to meet him.
Before I could answer the letter,
I got the news that
Pargat had slit his wrist.
Trust me, friend...
My son may have been short,
but he was a pro at Kabaddi.
It must've taken at least
three people to take him down.
Two must have held
his hands and feet
while the third cut his vein.
After making the cut,
they must've held
his wrist afterward,
waited and watched him writhe
until the light left his eyes.
But my Pargat was clever-
a real revolutionary.
He knew this could happen someday.
So, playfully, quietly,
little by little...
Before leaving, he passed
his light on to you.
I hope, my friend...
That you will never
let that light go out.
Look, I really like you.
But my mother's worried-
that since you've studied law,
you'll argue a lot at home.
I just want you to somehow
put her fears to rest.
How?
By arguing with her?
We're challenging the court's decision
by filing an appeal.
I want the official copy
of the judgement.
Let's go.
Come on.
What copy, which judgement?
Who are you?
Excuse me?
We're having an
important conversation here.
Young man, let me tell you
something important too.
Bring your mother to court,
so she can learn to argue too.
It'll come in handy.
What?
Let's go. We're getting late.
Come on!
But-
Is this the complete judgement?
Yes, sir.
Are you sure?
A hundred percent, sir.
I got it from the court.
Then where's the verdict
that the jury gave?
Find out all the details
of the jury.
Dilreet!
Thank you
Sir, him...
Him...
And him.
Their bank records.
There's no way
we lose the appeal now.
Appeal dismissed.
Excellent,
thank you very much.
Very good news.
Excuse me?
What?
In cases filed against military officers,
there's very limited scope for appeal.
But Your Honour,
we have new evidence.
We just need another chance.
Mr. Nair,
the lower courts have already
given you many chances.
Please, I just need a minute
to make my case!
The appeal is denied,
thank you.
This court has a duty
towards the truth!
We are done, counsel.
Dismissed!
All rise!
What a loser!
Whether you get money
or a promotion as bribe...
What did you just say?
I am warning you
If I were you
I'd choose my next words very carefully.
Sorry.
I should have said.
Fuck you.
That's it!
You are charged
with contempt of court.
And you're hereby fined
fifty thousand rupees.
Fuck you,
and your fucking courts!
If you don't stop right now,
I shall get you disbarred.
You'll never be able to
practice law again!
Go fuck yourself.
I hereby order
a disbarment hearing against
Mr. Nair next Friday
Bailiff, remove him from my courtroom.
He's dug his grave.
"Fuck you!"
And that bastard had
the audacity to tell me
that I can't control my anger!
Jesus Christ!
The game's over.
Thank you, Mr. McKinley
Welcome to the Viceroy's Council.
I've just defeated him.
I'm yet to destroy him.
His defeat won't get
much attention from the Delhi Press.
What I want...
is for this man
to be humiliated
in front of the entire world.
All journalists, newspapers, media...
Call everyone.
Only then...
will the game be finished.
I like that...
I like that very much.
It will also send a message
to all Indian rats,
that they better not raise
their voices against the Crown.
Let's put on a show, lads.
- Cheers.
- Cheers, gentlemen.
Let's destroy him.
Mr. Nair...
You have been accused of filing
a false case against the Crown,
bringing the British military
into disrepute,
stealing military secrets
and lowering the dignity
of the court by hurling abuses
at a high court judge.
Based on all of this,
we cannot consider you
fit to practice law.
But...
If you plead guilty
to these charges,
and render an apology
to the Crown,
we can consider to show
some leniency to you.
Mr. Nair, do you understand
what is being said here?
Mr. Nair!
I have a request.
May I speak in Hindi?
You may, Mr. Nair.
But no need
for any theatrics here.
I fold my hands,
bow my head,
and kneel to beg for forgiveness...
But not from this Crown.
I ask for forgiveness
from my country...
Because, for many years
I stood in their courts
and committed grave injustice
towards my own people.
Mr. Nair, what nonsense is this?
Sir, my biggest mistake was
that I always thought
that courts only decide
who wins or loses.
But a court's duty isn't
deciding victory or defeat,
it's to determine
right from wrong.
But that's impossible
in your courts,
where telling the truth
puts you in the line of fire.
If you don't stop
with this insolence right away,
The Court Marshals
will drag you out!
Did you hear that?
A bit of hard truth,
and the guns are out!
Just like they came out
at Jallianwala Bagh.
This is your disbarment hearing.
You can't talk about
another case right now!
Actually sir, I can.
Rule 7C of Bar Council Rules...
A tiny by-law,
but a powerful one.
What the devil is he talking about?
We are getting there, Mr. Dyer.
We are getting there.
This law gives me the right
that if I have any evidence
that helps me prove
that the disbarment charges
against me are incorrect,
then I can,
during this hearing-
present them as evidence.
If you don't stop right now,
I shall get you disbarred.
Go fuck yourself.
I hereby order.
A disbarment hearing against
Mr. Nair next Friday
Is this correct?
Neville, is this correct?
He fucking played us.
Stop the press.
- Stop the bloody press!
- That boat has sailed, Mr. Dyer.
And stop interrupting me.
Two months ago,
Judge McCardie pronounced
General Dyer innocent
in the Jallianwala Bagh case.
Not guilty.
In any case,
before acquitting the accused
of all charges
All the jury members
must reach a unanimous verdict.
This means that in
the Jallianwala Bagh case,
all 12 jury members
declared General Dyer 'not guilty'.
Am I right?
With the bench's permission,
I would like to call Juror No. 7,
Harold Laksi to the stand.
Go ahead, Mr. Nair.
Only the truth can save you now
We have your bank records.
Yes Mr. Laksi...
What was your verdict that day?
Guilty.
Can you please be
a little louder, Mr. Laksi?
The world wants to know
What was your verdict?
Guilty!
General Dyer was guilty!
Thank you Mr. Laksi
Juror No. 5 and Juror No. 9
also declared General Dyer guilty.
Here are their written affidavits.
They state that the Crown
used intimidation
threatening and bribing
these jurors into silence.
Not only that,
the Crown even bought off
Judge McCardie with a London posting
to turn him against the Indians.
And that's the reason
the jury verdict was removed
from the official judgement.
The Jallianwala Bagh case
has just one truth,
that the whole world should know:
General Dyer and the British Crown
are guilty of genocide.
Yes!
They are guilty of genocide!
Dyer didn't just
shoot Indians with guns,
he left the wounded trapped
in the Bagh for 12 hours,
So vultures and crows
could eat them alive.
Could eat them alive
And the same night,
Mr Chairman...
General Dyer, while dining
at the European club, said:
"I only stopped shooting,
because I ran out of bullets!"
I always wondered
how one human could be
so cruel to another.
But in the last two years,
I have understood
That we Indians aren't seen
as human by these people.
We are animals to them.
Animals!
That's why they have
boards outside their clubs:
"Dogs and Indians are not allowed!"
And that's why,
during the World War
our men were sent to war
like cattle for slaughter.
Over 74,000 Indian soldiers
died in that war...
A war that wasn't even ours.
And it didn't end there.
Mr. Dyer came up with an
ingenious form of punishment.
"The Crawling order"...
They forced us to crawl like snakes
through our very own streets.
They starve us of our own grain,
And when we pounce on food, desperate...
They laugh at us, saying:
These animals don't even
know how to eat properly!
Yes. that's right.
We are animals!
Animals who can scream,
but not be heard.
Who must bow down to the law,
but cannot get justice.
Who can be a herd,
but never a country!
Well, this herd of animals
is going to become a country...
And these animals
will no longer scream...
They will roar!
Tomorrow's light
won't come from the east,
but from your newspapers.
And tomorrow,
when the light of truth breaks out...
Their guns will start to stutter.
So go ahead - disbar me,
hang me or shoot me...
But hear this loud and clear:
Get the fuck out of my country!
Get the fuck out of our country!
Fuck off from here!
Out you go!
Arrows aimed at the heart
Long live the revolution
A crown that rests with pride
Long live the revolution
The world stands still in awe
To witness your mighty stride
Long live Sankaran Nair!
Long live Sankaran Nair!
Sankaran Nair didn't just indict Dyer,
he exposed the crimes
of the whole British Empire.
Mr. McKinley...
Really?
Aren't you worried about your future?
My whiskey bottle will see me through.
You should worry about their future.
As lieutenant governor of punjab
effective immediately.
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
Down with Tirath Singh!
I was wrong about you.
I thought you would sink
like the Titanic...
But you turned out to be the iceberg.
Brilliant.
Stand down Sergeant.
General...
You have been withdrawn
from the field...
With immediate effect.
Nair sir always spoke of a light...
Our identity,
our freedom,
the light of our thoughts.
My only prayer to Wahe Guru
is that this light
burns bright forever.
My path is lit in a thousand hues
I was drawn to fire
To the colour of truth
My path is lit in a thousand hues
I was drawn to fire
To the colour of truth
I wore the shade of sacrifice
O mother, the hue of valor's light
I wore the colour of freedom's migh t
Now I've set the sky ablaze