Sky Force Review | Akshay Kumar and Veer Pahariya's film Sky Force stands out for it's heartwarming story with a little less chest-thumping patriotism. Directed by Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, this Republic Day release is a well-executed drama that effectively presents a real-life story in a way that you'll find it enjoyable at first, and by the end, you will be moved by how the story unfolds.

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In the world of cinema, particularly with patriotic themes, audiences have encountered numerous films that share a similar format. Even those who watched Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone's Fighter, which was released last year on Republic Day, might find themselves discussing the similarities, especially regarding the aerial shots of the aircraft. Putting a pause on these discussions, Akshay and Veer's film is all-in-all an entertaining fictionalisation of a true story making it a perfect one time watch.

Sky Force's plot details

The film tells the story of the late Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, who died during a strike mission in Pakistan in 1965. 23 years after his death, Devayya was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (The second highest military decoration in India). Though the makers have presented a true story, they have tweaked the names of the characters.

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The movie begins with Wing Commander K.O Ahuja (Akshay Kumar), who narrates the story of his junior and his squadron pilot, T.Krishnan Vijaya aka Tabby (Veer Pahariya), while interrogating Pakistani fighter pilot Ahmed Hussain, who was held captive by IAF in 1971. 

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Ahuja goes on to narrate the story of a young and passionate Vijaya, who was his favourite squadron member and someone he treated like a younger brother. Recalling Tabby's unmatched dedication to his nation, Ahuja tells the story of the Sargodha airbase airstrikes, the first retaliatory counter carried out by the IAF. Unfortunately, Vijaya goes missing when, despite being assigned as the stand-by pilot, he fearlessly takes off to support the team as soon as he learns of an issue with another fighter plane.

For breaching the rules and entering the war zone despite being stopped by his higher commander, Tabby's name was subsequently not considered for the Vir Chakra and was soon forgotten by everyone. However, it was only Ahuja who continued to search for Tabby and find out what happened to him. How Ahuja uncovers Tabby's whereabouts makes the rest of the story. 

The plot analysis: What works and what does not?

Written by Paul Austin, Sandeep Kelwani and Aamil Keeyan Khan, the movie's graph progresses from low to high.  While the first half is packed with heroic moments, the actual story unfolds in the second half, making things more interesting by the end.

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The 2-hour, 5-minute runtime is evenly distributed between heroism and realism, keeping the audience engaged with the story. While much of the movie focuses on how the IAF carried out the historic airstrike against Pakistan and the courage shown by Devayya at that time, comparatively less attention is given to the story that follows after he went missing

Several repetitive 'desh bhakti' dialogues have been added, but the inclusion feels appropriate within limits. The emotional angle also blends well with the plot. 

Despite being loaded with a ton of predictable things, the screenplay of the movie grips you with cast performance and a compelling background score.

Akshay and Veer's Brotherhood

No matter in how many films we see Akshay playing a defence person,  the aura and energy he brings to his character always manages to capture viewer attention. While his performance isn't extraordinary, he still manages to make the audience feel emotional with his poignant scenes.

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Debutant Veer manages to stand out with his performance. Looking at the fact that this is his first film, the actor has performed the character with utmost honesty which is quite evident. However, still, there are some scenes where he overperformed.

Nimrat Kaur and Sharad Kelkar did a decent job in the work that was asked of them. The only actor who overperformed was Sara Ali Khan as Veer's wife. 


Final verdict

Sky Force wins for its story. While I must have to mention that the audience will definitely roll their eyes in the first half when Akshay and Veer are shown in a truly heroic light, the movie will take an even more interesting turn by the end and you'll find yourself genuinely curious to know what happened to Tabby.

Infused with passion, patriotism, valour and emotional drama, Sky Force is a regular Indian military movie.

It's a perfect watch for a Republic Day week and should be considered solely for entertainment purposes. Don't expect too much and you will love it. 

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