Set during India’s 1965 airstrike against Pakistan, SKY FORCE the film centres on a daredevil maverick pilot, Squadron Leader ‘Tabby’ Vijaya (Veer Pahariya), his mysterious disappearance, and his Wing Commander’s (Akshay Kumar) relentless pursuit of the truth spanning nearly two decades. With the accent on emotional depth and expert storytelling, Skyforce is a war film Inspired by true events during the 1965 Indo-Pak War and follows the Indian Air Force’s daring airstrike on Pakistan’s heavily fortified Sargodha airbase.
You should give 100 per cent credit for the wholesomeness of the film to the screenplay by Kewlani, coupled with A. Sreekar Prasad’s precise editing, which ensures a tight narrative that maintains intrigue and emotional engagement, cinematographer Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran, along with action directors Craig MacRae and Parvez Shaikh, for the edge of the seat crafts stunning sequences that keep the audience riveted.
Credit is also for Tanishk Bagchi’s musical compositions and Justin Varghese’s background score that set out to enhance the film’s patriotic and sentimental tones, complementing the visual storytelling effectively.
As far as the performances are concerned, I should say Akshay Kumar who delivers an impeccable performance as Wing Commander Ahuja, embodying not only leadership but also emotional depth, particularly in his graceful interactions with bureaucratic challenges deserves a lion’s share while newcomer Veer Pahariya stands on his own and shines in a rile that is very difficult to perform.
Among the rest of the cast, Sharad Kelkar as Squadron Leader Ahmed Hussain leaves an impact in his brief role. Sara Ali Khan in her brief role as Geeta Vijaya is equally good. Nimrat Kaur as Preeti Ahuja, Manish Chaudhri as Group Captain Lawrence, Soham Mujumdar as Tabby’s rival Debashish Chatterjee, and Varun Badola as Air Chief Marshal Amit, lend able support and succeed in taking the film to an entirely different level.
All said and done, I should say that the exemplary film sets out to pay a decent homage to our country’s unsung heroes like Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, whose bravery is mirrored in the unsung hero Tabby’s character. The film is a fitting tribute, making it a must-watch for those who are drawn to war dramas that set out to blend action with heartfelt storytelling. (Running time 125 minutes)
– Review by Jyothi Venkatesh
Cast of Sky Force:
Akshay Kumar as Wing Commander Kumar Om Ahuja
Veer Pahariya as T. Krishna Vijaya “Tabby”
Sara Ali Khan as Geeta Vijaya
Nimrat Kaur as Preeti Ahuja
Sharad Kelkar as Ahmed Hussain
Maahir Raghuvanshi as young Tabby
Mohit Chauhan as Air Chief Marshal Arjun Sinha
Manish Choudhary as Air Commodore David Lawrence
Varun Badola as Air Vice Marshal Amit Narang
Virendra Singh Patyal as Servant of Air Chief Marshal Arjun Sinha
Credits of Sky Force:
Directed by Sandeep Kewlani, Abhishek Anil Kapur
Written by Sandeep Kewlani, Aamil Keeyan Khan, Carl Austin, Niren Bhatt
Production companies – Jio Studios, Maddock Films, Leo Films UK Production
Produced byJyoti Deshpande, Amar Kaushik, Bhaumik Gondaliya, Dinesh Vijan
Cinematography -nthana Krishnan Ravichandran
Edited by A. Sreekar Prasad
Songs: Tanishk Bagchi
Background Score: Justin Varghese