One of the highlights of Sky Force is its breath-taking, elaborate aerial combat sequences packed with edge-of-the-seat thrill.
Sky Force is all set to hit the theatres on January 24.
Sky Force Movie Review: Bollywood’s love affair with films on border politics, tension and nationalism is no secret. One may imagine that for filmmakers, it’s relatively an easier template to play with. But more often than not, the challenge lies in helming a narrative that steers clear from formula and jaded treatment and approach. While not many can boast of achieving so, Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani’s directorial venture, Sky Force, stands out for being able to redefine patriotism without toeing the line of chest-thumping jingoism.
At its heart, Sky Force is a story about humanity, empathy and human relationships that aren’t born out of bloodline. And that’s why when a fighter pilot does everything in his capability to trace and extricate his junior, who reminds him of his late younger brother, from Pakistan, so that his widowed wife can heave a sigh of relief and smart smiling once again, you believe it.
When the senior official further empathises with a captive, who has left his family on the other side of the border, you understand the importance of ‘honour amongst enemies’ even if it doesn’t fit into the ‘Pakistan murdabad’ narrative.
And to think that all of this is based on real-life incidents fills you up with hope for a better tomorrow. Sky Force revolves around Squadron Pilot TK Vijaya aka Tabby and Group Captain KO Ahuja. The film opens in 1971 when Pakistan infiltrates Amritsar airbase and holds Pakistani fighter pilot Ahmed Hussain captive. When Ahuja starts interrogating him, he gets an inkling that this might help him uncover the whereabouts of Tabby, who went missing in 1965.
The action soon shifts to 1965. Tabby’s wife is pregnant and she constantly worries about losing her husband to the enemies. Ahuja gives his wife the responsibility of pacifying her and he promises her that he won’t let anything happen to him. At work, Tabby is infamous for his fearless and reckless spirit that often leads him to flout protocols. He’s even referred to as a ‘madman’ by many.
After repeated attacks by Pakistan on India, the defence ministry finally decides that now is the time for India to retaliate. Ahuja and his team are given the responsibility to enter Pakistan and reduce eleven of their technologically advanced fighter planes called Starstriker – gifted to them by America – into dust. Tabby, however, is given the position of just a stand-by pilot but when things don’t go as planned, he decides to breach rules once again and enter Pakistan without permissions from the higher-ups.
While Ahuja and the rest of his team accomplish their goals and come back to the Jalandhar airbase unscathed, they realise that Tabby has gone missing. Ahuja receives a Vir Chakra for his bravery but he can’t get over what could’ve possible happened to Tabby. Multiple attempts by him to file a case go unnoticed. 23 years later, Ahuja receives an envelope that finally lead him to unearth details about Tabby.
At 2 hours 5 minutes, Sky Force makes for a crisp and taut screenplay that rarely drops pace. Kudos to the director duo, who seamlessly blend in their individual instincts and style, never once making you wonder that there are two captains sailing the ship! The film is bereft of melodramatic dialogues about desh bhakti or contrived sequences aimed to evoke sappy sentimentality. The makers manage to strike a fine balance between realism and cinematic flamboyance and they deserve brownie points for the same.
One of the major highlights of Sky Force is its breathtaking aerial combat sequences packed with edge-of-the-seat thrill. They may remind you of Fighter but unlike the Hrithik Roshan starrer, this one isn’t amply slick, cool and stylish, but that works with the template and mood of the film. These scenes are punctuated with moments that accentuate the valour and sacrifices made by fighter pilots.
Though Sky Force is a brilliant tribute to them, what it ends up lacking in bits and parts is emotional core. For instance, the makers could’ve tapped into the life of Tabby’s wife’s, who is uncertain and hopeful about her husband’s return at the same time. Ahuja too misses Tabby and finds himself looking at his pictures from time to time but these sequences aren’t enough to wrench your heart. Here, the makers opt for a tell-more-and-show-less approach, which isn’t the greatest creative tool when it comes to storytelling.
Akshay Kumar plays KO Ahuja (fictionalisation of OP Taneja). He’s tailor-made for the part of a Group Captain – compassionate and formidable in equal parts – but what he truly deserves applause for is the way in which he steps away and lets Tabby take the centre stage when the time comes. A sign of a true superstar, indeed! In Sky Force, debutant Veer Pahariya’s Tabby (fictionalisation of Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya) is the hero. He may not be there through the second half of the film but it’s his story that forms that crux of the screenplay.
Veer delivers a very good performance and shines bright even as he shares screen space with an actor of the stature and calibre of Akshay. Sara Ali Khan, in her brief screen time, too, dishes out an impressive act. She downplays a helpless wife and manages to strike a chord to the best of her ability. Nimrat Kaur in a special appearance looks stunning but she doesn’t contribute much to the story. Soham Majumdar and Sharad Kelkar deserve a special mention.
The aerial saga is a true Republic Day treat and it deserves a watch for its execution and treatment. It packs a punch without trying too hard and sets a precedent for a modern-day patriotic film where friendship and loyalty take a precedence over politics and ultra-nationalism.
