Kesari Chapter 2 Actor Simon Paisley Day, Who Plays General Dyer, Says, “I Urge Our Government To Issue A Proper Apology For The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre” 2 : Bollywood News

Filmmaker Karan Singh Tyagi’s Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story Of Jallianwala Bagh is receiving appreciation for its content and performances of Akshay Kumar, R Madhavan and Ananya Panday. But the British actor Simon Paisley Day, who plays General Dyer, has also succeeded in playing a ruthless antagonist with ease. He speaks about his experience of doing the film in an interview with us.

Kesari Chapter 2 actor Simon Paisley Day, who plays General Dyer, says, “I urge our government to issue a proper apology for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre”

How did the role of Reginald Dyer land in your lap?
Somewhat prosaically, I auditioned for it! The casting director Des Hamilton had previously helped to cast me in an important piece of British television drama called This England, which dealt with the UK Government’s many failures during the Covid pandemic, and in which I played another Englishman of extremely questionable moral stature, Dominic Cummings, special adviser to Boris Johnson. Des invited me to send a self-tape audition (where the actor films himself and sends it over the internet) and as a result of that I had a Zoom meeting with Karan Tyagi and he offered me the role.

I had to read many lines in Hindi – a language of which I was entirely ignorant. I was provided with a script that was written out phonetically, so that I could attempt to say the lines. I speak French and German (as well as English, my mother tongue) so I was fairly confident that I would be able to master the lines – which I did, but only with the help of the wonderful Vivek Saini, my dialect coach. I also studied Hindi on Duolingo, so that I could properly understand what I was saying. Dyer was a fluent Hindi speaker, having grown up with Indian children, so I had to work very hard to make it sound authentic.

Were you worried that the role wouldn’t exactly make you Mr. Popular among Indian audiences?
I have no profile in Indian cinema or popular culture, so I had no worry about getting a bad name there, no. But even if I had had a reputation there, I would still have jumped at the role because the only reasons not to accept it would have been a/ if the script was badly written and/or b/ the film was somehow painting Dyer as anything other than what he was – a brutal, cold-blooded murderer. I know that there are actors out there who need to be adored and who only want to play heroes and lovers but I have never been cast in that way – indeed. I very often get cast as baddies and I do enjoy it. I spend most of my life trying to be a decent person, to say and do the right thing, to get people to like me, so it is actually quite releasing – purging even – to play characters who behave in a way that you would never allow yourself to behave.

I don’t mean for a moment to suggest that I would ever behave like Dyer (God forbid!) – I have never entertained a single murderous thought but as an actor. One’s job is to forget oneself and be fully immersed in the body and head of another person and to enjoy the extremes of that experience, knowing ultimately that it’s only make-believe and that when the camera stops recording, one returns to reality.

You brought a steely will to the character – an almost Hitler-ite imperturbability. Is that how you interpreted Dyer?
Dyer served for over forty years in various regiments in India. I have no military experience whatsoever but from watching many war films and speaking to the older generations of my own family, I have come to understand that, without rigid discipline, an army will never succeed. Dyer no doubt believed in discipline above everything – and he was certainly effective in getting his men to do his bidding – but he was leading his troops to engage in the absolute opposite of a fair military endeavour. He acted cruelly and inhumanely, disregarding all the accepted rules of engagement, firing on unarmed protesters, failing to issue warning shots. During the filming of the massacre, I chose to play Dyer with a zealous enjoyment of what he was doing. He had been much bullied as a boy, taunted for being a stutterer, and this was his moment for revenge.

As a human being, how do you feel about his actions on that fateful day in Jallianwallah Bagh?
I am profoundly appalled at what the man did, particularly as it was completely premeditated. Even if it had been a knee-jerk reaction to some sudden riot, the level of violence would still have been completely unacceptable. However, the evidence suggests that Dyer had planned the whole thing as a cold-blooded slaughter in order to give a warning sign to the people of India to back down from opposing British rule. I am ashamed to share the title of Englishman with him and I would urge our Government to do what is right and finally issue a proper apology for what happened. The word ‘regrettable’ simply ducks responsibility. Yes, the act was regrettable but in saying that, are we acknowledging that we actually regret it? Or are we simply describing the act as ‘able to be regretted’? We need to take responsibility and say sorry. And mean it.

What was it like, shooting with an Indian crew and with Indian film stars? And with the director Karan Tyagi?
It was unlike anything I have ever done before. Acting in Hindi, working in sometimes unbearable heat, battling stomach troubles – all these things were highly challenging. But the positives massively outweighed the negatives. I really enjoyed my fiery exchanges with Akshay Kumar, who was extremely gracious and generous when the camera was not rolling. I enjoyed locking horns with him in court. And R. Madhavan, who plays my lawyer, was enormous fun. We had many moments of merriment in between takes. Filming a courtroom battle takes days and days and days. So many hours sitting on hard wooden chairs.

With Madhavan on one side and my friend Michael Parr (Major Briggs) on the other, we managed to jolly each other along. Michael and I played silly word games and did crosswords to kill time. I want to make special mention of my (new) friend Karan Singh Tyagi, without whom none of this would have happened. Not only did he come up with the idea and the script, he captained the entire ship through sometimes choppy waters. And always, always with humour, patience and understanding. He gave all the actors constant and gentle encouragement and was respectful and appreciative throughout. I think he is an incredibly nice man and an even better director. He has made a truly superb film and has such a bright future ahead of him.

Did you get to see India?
Not nearly enough. My daughter Beatrice joined me in Mumbai at the end of one filming stint and we flew to Kerala, where we enjoyed a week at the coast and then travelled up into the ghats for a second week at a spice plantation. We even got chased by elephants in the forest. Unforgettable in every way. Another stint of filming happened in Delhi and my oldest friend Richard flew out to join me. We had a lovely week visiting hill stations north of Dehradun, where the air was beautifully cool after the heat in Delhi. I know that my wife would love for me to work more in India, so that she, a bear-scientist and fabric designer, can come out and explore India’s extraordinary biodiversity while I stay in the cities, playing more baddies. We shall see…

As a Shakespearean actor, do you prefer theatre to film?
A balance is nice. I miss the immediacy of performing in front of a live audience. And generally, theatre is all about the actors and the words, so you feel a greater sense of ownership of the project. When you are filming, you are aware that your performance is only going to be as good as the editor allows it to be! And ultimately, it’s the visuals and the soundtrack that carry so much weight in the cinema. But I really loved filming this piece. It is an experience I shall never forget.

What are you working on next?
I am playing a wizard in The Witcher for Netflix. I have to ride a horse. Another new challenge!

Would you like to do more Indian films?
Yes, if I am to stay married. My wife is a very determined woman. And I do love Indian food more than any other world cuisine.

Who are your performing idols?
I think Ralph Fiennes is a truly great film actor. I love Jeff Bridges, Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench. But the ones I really revere are all dead. Paul Scofield, Peter Sellers, Alec Guiness, Audrey Hepburn. I think I’m a bit old-school!!

Also Read: Karan Johar on casting R. Madhavan in Kesari Chapter 2: “Maddy is an absolutely outstanding actor”