Sky Force, a film on Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya
Abracadabra By K. B. Ganapathy, Columns, Top Stories

Sky Force, a film on Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya

January 31, 2025

A saga of raw courage and flying skill extraordinary

Kodagu, formerly Coorg, is known for its coffee and men in military services. Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa and General K.S. Thimayya made history for Indian Armed Forces. Now one more star has joined these heroes. He is Squadron Leader Ajjamada Bopayya Devayya, hailing from Kodagu, about whom a Hindi film is made and showing in theatres now.

Early this week I was in Bengaluru on some errand and found time to see the film titled “Sky Force,” probably a play on Air Force. I chose a luxury theatre! Yes, indeed. The good old Rex theatre on Brigade Road of my college days in Bengaluru is now PVR Director’s Cut at the same place known as Forum Rex Walk — a complex of shops, restaurants and the luxury multiplex theatres.

The luxury of two-seater pink leather sofas with bolsters for your sitting comfort, catering service for those needing mouth satisfaction along with the viewing pleasure, are provided, of course, for a very high price. But it is worth the price. On the walls at the entry area are the framed photos of some of the well-known English and Kannada film stars among who I noticed Dr. Rajkumar, Puneeth Rajkumar and Ambarish. Being used to standing up reverentially in our local theatres before the start of the film to honour our National Flag on the screen, I was surprised to find no such screening of National Flag.

The film had the usual disclaimer, acknowledgement and thanksgiving, which included the name of the inspiration for the film, Sqn. Ldr.  A.B. Devayya and his family. However, being from Kodagu, I was disappointed to find Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya’s name being changed to a Tamil name, T. Krishna Vijaya ‘Tabby’ and his native place shifted to Tamil Nadu where his family lived in a rundown shelter !

I was shocked. I felt cheated. I thought the Fighter Pilot of extraordinary bravery and skill, who accomplished the mission successfully in a dogfight in the sky despite handicaps, was not treated decently and properly in the film. His father Dr. Ajjamada Bopayya had a flourishing coffee plantation in Manchalli village near Kutta in Coorg and had a beautiful bungalow to live in the coffee estate atop a verdant hillock. But what did I see in the film? Lie, utter lie. He did not join Air Force for bread and butter.

Sad, his family was misrepresented in a despicable way in the film. No Sir. The Censor Board should not have allowed this travesty of truth when the Producer patently admits the story of the film is based on Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya’s life in Air Force.

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The film, of course, is good with Akshay Kumar delivering, probably, one of his best performances as a film star. But for him the film would have fallen flat. As for Sqn. Ldr. Devayya’s role played by Veer Pahariya, a poor casting, he is not seen on the screen for long. His role was limited to fighting the enemy in the sky bringing down the more powerful Pakistan aircraft (of American make) F-104 Starfighter with his “humble” (apparently low cost) Mystere IVa Fighter-bomber.

This makes the first half of the film rather monotonous with too much aerial combat sequences accompanied with sound and fire.

It was the 1965 India-Pakistan war. In 1962, India lost a war with China. Nehru died in 1964. And Pakistan found this an opportune moment to declare war on India to capture  Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Its confidence probably stemmed from its air-superiority with American F-104 Starfighter planes compared to our Mystere IVa Fighter-bomber aircraft. Naturally, India was feeling the heat and decided to undertake a Strike Mission to destroy the Pakistan airbase Sargodha, and Sqn. Ldr. Devayya was part of this strike mission.

While all the aircrafts return to base after accomplishing the mission, Sqn. Ldr. Devayya’s aircraft was missing. Why and how of the missing aircraft and its pilot is the story-line. He was declared Missing in Action (MIA) and the world forgot about him while his family with young wife and two small daughters adapted themselves to a new life without their hero.

The film becomes very interesting and moving to the point of bringing tears to the viewers’ eyes after the interval. Akshay Kumar as Wing Commander was determined to find the mia Devayya alive or dead. And he succeeds on finding an account of Sqn. Ldr. Devayya’s daring attack on one Pakistan F-104 Starfighter, that was chasing the Indian aircrafts returning after accomplishing the mission, in a book written by a British writer John Fricker titled “Battle for Pakistan: The Air War of 1965.” By then it was 23 years late, but  a grateful nation honoured him with a posthumous Maha Vir Chakra  (MVC) in 1988. It is revealed by Pakistan that the villagers near Sargodha found the body and buried it. Can India get the remains of what remains of our hero back to India to perpetuate his memory in a befitting manner?

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As for his people in Kodagu,  Sqn. Ldr. Devayya is honoured and remembered with a 6-ft-9-inch Bronze Statue of his installed at the old bus stand circle in downtown Madikeri. Here in Mysuru too there is a memorial building commemorating the memory of Squadron Leader A.B. Devayya. Thanks to IAF Veteran Sergeant Mandetira N. Subramani (now late), President of VeKare Ex-Servicemen Trust (VKET), Mysuru, who was instrumental in naming the building after Devayya which houses the Office of the Deputy Director, Department of Sainik Welfare and Resettlement and  also the Sainik Aram Ghar near the Old DC’s Office, in the year 2003. It is called, “Sqn. Ldr. A.B. Devayya Bhavan.” 

“Sky Force” is an inspiring story of an act of bravery and supreme sacrifice by a patriotic Indian. Our present day youngsters must see the film and get inspired.

Sqn. Ldr. Devayya could have returned to the Indian base like other aircrafts. But he did not. Instead, when Devayya saw the Pakistan’s superior F-104 Starfighter giving a chase to shoot the returning Indian aircrafts down, he, manoeuvring his damaged aircraft and using his flying skills, finally shot down the F-104. However, the Pakistani Pilot safely ejected from his crippled and burning F-104… to tell the story, fortunately, to the British author John Fricker.

“Sky Force” is an inspirational movie every patriotic Indian must see.

e-mail: voice@starofmysore.com

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