After a long time, an Akshay Kumar-led movie has managed to hit all the right notes. Sky Force is a compelling action drama with a gripping narrative at its heart. Of course, there is so much of a zoomed-in Kumar occupying full in-your-eye screen space; but this time around, he, and of course the makers, ensure that the story takes precedence and leaves the audience with much more than the optics.
Sky Force is about nationalism, patriotism, bravery, sacrifice, heroism, love, loss and victory all bundled into one. It is based on India's retaliatory attack on Pakistan's Sargodha air base during the 1965 Indo-Pak war and how the sheer skill and ability of a dedicated Indian Air Force officer got India to achieve a successful airstrike. But there is no overdose of chest-thumping nationalism at play here, rather, the screenplay moves along smoothly and keeps you hooked with some solid aerial combat action sequences.
Directed by Abhishek Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, the film seems crisp, no-nonsense and to-the-point, for a runtime of 125 minutes.
Veer Pahariya, in the role of T. Vijaya, an exceptionally skilled fighter pilot, is convincingly charming as he delivers a power-packed performance, layered with emotional depth and expressive brilliance. Pahariya's character is based on the life story of squadron leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya, the only Indian Air Force officer to be posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra (MVC). This is a story of how Devayya, fictionalized by Kumar's character Ahuja, goes out of his way to investigate his missing junior, Tabby, aka T Vijaya.
After repeated attacks by Pakistan on India, the authorities finally decide to retaliate and that's when Ahuja and his team are assigned the task of rendering Pakistani fighter planes 'StarStrikers,' into dust. Tabby is asked to stand by, even as his colleagues are on the job. However, a rebellious Tabby decides to take off without waiting for permission and that's how he ends up going 'missing in action.'
Twenty-three years later, Ahuja, undettered by time, reopens the file of his missing junior and brings his tale of heroism to the fore, for everyone to see and acknowledge.
The film manages to keep you hooked right till the end and for that alone, Sky Force deserves applause. The music helps take the narrative further; and both the leading ladies in the film, Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur add substance to their own characters as well as the plot. This is a good watch, after a long time.
Movie: Sky Force
Language: Hindi
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, Sharad Kelkar
Directed by: Abhishek Kapur, Sandeep Kewlani
Rating: 3.5/5
