A historical courtroom drama rooted in India’s colonial past, Kesari: Chapter 2 tells the powerful true story of Chettur Sankaran Nair’s legal battle in the aftermath of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Building on the legacy of its 2019 predecessor, the film takes a more grounded and restrained visual approach – trading battlefield spectacle for introspective drama and emotional depth.
FutureWorks’ senior colorist Tushar Desai led the grade, using FilmLight’s Baselight and working closely with director Karan Singh Tyagi and director of photography Debojeet Ray, ISC, to define the film’s carefully controlled color language. The result is a cinematic palette inspired by classic film – elegant, textural and rooted in period authenticity – that reflects the emotional weight of the story while honoring its historical context.
Released to critical acclaim and box office success, Kesari: Chapter 2 is a strong example of how thoughtful color work can elevate period storytelling. Here, Desai breaks down the palette choices behind several key scenes, offering insight into how color helped shape the film’s visual identity.
“Color is my way of shaping emotion without ever stealing the spotlight. I see my role not as reinventing the image but as revealing what’s already there, refining the work so the story comes through with clarity and depth.
“A shallow depth of field can feel like poetry in itself – the soft fall-off and fragile focus pulling us closer, as though the frame is breathing with the subject. In grading, I hold on to these delicate shifts in texture, tone, and weight, carrying them faithfully from the vastness of a cinema screen to the intimacy of a handheld device.
“For me, the best grade is the one you don’t notice. It disappears into the story, leaving only the emotion – subtle, invisible, and true.
“My approach to this shot was to amplify its serene, introspective mood while staying true to the cinematographer’s vision. With a single candle on the floor as the only source of light, the frame naturally leans into a chiaroscuro aesthetic – its warm glow revealing the man’s face, turban, and white shirt, while deep shadows envelop the rest of the space.
“As a colorist, my role was to preserve and enhance this delicate balance of light and dark – keeping the contrast natural yet dramatic, so the viewer is drawn into the man’s quiet focus on his writing. I carefully refined the amber warmth of the candlelight, emphasizing the intimacy of the scene, while allowing the rich browns and velvety blacks to recede gracefully into the background.
“The grade holds the image in a space that feels both painterly and immersive, where light itself becomes the story’s guiding hand.
“In the bar sequence, this dance performance has an expressive energy of classic stage musicals, with lighting that does much of the storytelling. Spotlights isolate the lead dancers, making them the undeniable focus, while the surrounding stage falls into warm, soft shadows. This balance was enhanced in the grade so that the contrast feels dramatic yet elegant, reinforcing the sense of performance and spectacle.
“Bold reds, from curtains to costumes, were allowed to dominate, playing against the grounding tones of deep browns and the glow of golden light. The palette heightens the glamour and passion of the moment, giving the image a sense of vibrancy, nostalgia, and life.
“The result is a look that feels rich, glamorous, and timeless – a cinematic homage to the excitement of live performance.
“Colonel Reginald Dyer (portrayed by Simon Paisley Day), carries a formal, authoritative tone, standing in contrast to the more atmospheric scenes. Bright, even lighting removes dramatic shadow, leaving a clean clarity that feels almost like a portrait. This neutrality of light heightens the sense of control and order, as though the moment itself were staged with intention.
“Color anchors the image: bold reds and blues of the flag set firmly against the muted brown of the uniform. The restrained palette is simple yet commanding, reinforcing the weight of history while avoiding distraction.
“Together, the flat light and strong colors create a look that feels ceremonial and enduring – a statement of authority preserved in time.
“To convey the raw, unsettling power of the barbaric scenes at Jallianwala Bagh, I deliberately avoided stylization, allowing the natural harshness of the light to speak for itself. The grade keeps the illumination bright and unforgiving – like an ordinary day – so that the horror unfolding on screen feels immediate and real rather than cinematic or staged.
“The focus is held tightly on the boy’s face, making his fear and shock the emotional anchor of the scene. Surrounding chaos and shadows were kept subdued, allowing his expression to cut through with even greater intensity.
“For the palette, I leaned into muted, dusty blues and browns to ground the scene in grit and realism. Against this restrained background, the vivid red of the blood becomes impossible to ignore – a deliberate contrast that heightens the emotional weight and forces the viewer to confront the moment head-on.
“The result is a grade that feels stark, raw, and devastatingly human – designed to preserve the truth of the scene, not soften it.
“This scene was approached like a living stage performance, with the grade amplifying its theatrical power through focused, directional lighting. Sharp contrasts draw the viewer’s eye to the Kathakali performer, while surrounding shadows add a sense of mystery and depth.
“The intricate mask and costume take center stage, with deep blues, greens, and reds carrying the emotional weight. Set against rich wooden tones, these colors gain added intensity. Subtle highlights in gold and white were carefully lifted to suggest a sense of ritual and regality without disrupting the drama. The result is a grade that feels bold, cultural, and timeless.
“For Nair’s prayer scene, the goal was to enhance its calm, reverent mood by emphasizing the warm, natural tones already present in the image. I leaned into shades of brown and gold, allowing the soft, ambient light to shape the frame without introducing harsh contrasts.
“This restrained, earthy palette reinforces the sense of quiet reflection and solemnity, gently guiding the viewer’s attention toward the intimacy of the moment. The grade preserves the subtlety of both light and color, resulting in a look that feels timeless, respectful, and meditative.
“Looking back on the film, what stayed with me most was the responsibility of shaping a story so deeply rooted in history and emotion. Each scene brought its own challenges, but the goal was always the same – to support the narrative with a grade that felt honest, intentional, and emotionally connected. Working closely with Karan and Debojeet allowed for a deep creative alignment, and having FutureWorks handle both the DI and VFX made the process incredibly fluid.
“For me, color is never about adding style for its own sake. It’s about uncovering the emotion already present in the frame – enhancing it just enough to let the audience feel something without being told what to feel. On this film, I didn’t want the grade to draw attention to itself. I wanted it to disappear into the storytelling – subtle, invisible, and true.”