‘Sky Force’ Director apologises for misrepresentation of Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya’s identity

Mumbai: The portrayal of Maha Vir Chakra awardee Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya as a Tamilian in the Hindi film ‘Sky Force’, directed by Sandeep Kewlani, has sparked outrage among the people of Kodagu.

The move by the film-makers has drawn sharp criticism on social media, with many condemning the misrepresentation of Devayya’s identity. Netizens pointed out that while the movie is inspired by his life, the character has been inaccurately depicted. Released on Jan. 24, ‘Sky Force’ is said to be based on Devayya’s heroic act of destroying a Pakistani aircraft during Indo-Pak war of 1965, in which he was martyred. ‘Sky Force’ features Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Sara Ali Khan and Veer Pahariya in key roles.

Reacting to the backlash, co-director Abhishek Anil Kapur apologised for any unintentional hurt caused to the Kodava community.

“I have heard about this. It is possible that we didn’t fully consider the sentiments of the particular community, as our focus was on adhering to Indian Air Force norms and rules. We also changed the name to avoid offending anyone’s family, personal beliefs or religion. When making a film on such subjects, one must be cautious of multiple perspectives,” he said.