Sky Force (film)

Sky Force

Company type	Film
Industry	Entertainment (Film)
Founded	October 2, 2023 (2023-10-02) (official announcement)
Headquarters	Mumbai , India
Products	Hindi-language action drama film
Owner	Maddock Films, Jio Studios

Sky Force is a 2025 Indian Hindi-language action drama film that portrays the inaugural airstrike by India targeting the Sargodha airbase during the Indo-Pakistani air war of 1965. Featuring lead performances by Akshay Kumar and newcomer Veer Pahariya, the film also includes Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur in key supporting roles. The project is helmed by directors Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, with production handled by Maddock Films and Jio Studios.

The film was officially announced in October 2023, with principal filming commencing earlier in May 2023 in Mumbai. After a shooting schedule spanning approximately 100 days, production wrapped up in late April 2024. Scenes were captured across various locations in India as well as the United Kingdom.

Released theatrically on 24 January 2025 to coincide with the Republic Day weekend, Sky Force garnered a range of critical responses.

Plot

Set against the backdrop of the 1971 conflict, the story opens with the Pakistan Air Force launching an assault on an Indian airbase amid tensions over Kashmir. In response, the Indian Air Force captures Pakistani pilot Ahmed. During his interrogation, Group Captain K. O. Ahuja uncovers that Ahmed had previously been honored for killing an Indian officer during the 1965 war.

The narrative then shifts to 1965, where Ahuja and his squadron, including pilot T. K. Vijaya (known as Tabby), are stationed at Adampur Airbase. Tabby is portrayed as a highly skilled and patriotic aviator who frequently challenges standard procedures and shares a brotherly relationship with Ahuja. Ahuja’s superior, David Lawrence, informs him about Pakistan receiving twelve Star Striker fighter jets from the United States. Acting on intelligence indicating a potential Pakistani offensive, Lawrence orders Ahuja to undertake a perilous reconnaissance mission beyond the border. During this mission, Ahuja and Tabby locate weapons caches; despite being detected by Pakistani officers, Tabby manages to photograph them.

Ahuja proposes launching a preemptive strike against Pakistan; however, Lawrence rejects this plan citing political sensitivities related to human rights issues. Subsequently, Pakistan executes a nocturnal attack on the Indian airbase at a time when India lacks night combat capabilities, resulting in significant destruction of aircraft and casualties among soldiers. The Indian government then formulates plans for a retaliatory strike aimed at neutralizing Pakistan’s airbases and their Star Striker fleet. From analyzing a speech by the Pakistani Prime Minister, Ahuja identifies the primary target as the Sargodha Airbase. This operation is designated "Sky Force."

The mission encounters logistical difficulties due to Indian aircraft having insufficient fuel for a round trip to Sargodha. Ahuja organizes three teams for the operation but keeps Tabby on reserve following Lawrence’s directives. Although the mission achieves its objectives, Tabby disappears after taking off later than planned. The government dismisses attempts to locate him, labeling him as insubordinate. Meanwhile, Tabby’s wife Geeta appeals to Ahuja for help in finding her husband; however, he faces obstacles due to lack of official support.

By 1971, Ahuja is burdened with guilt over failing Geeta and losing another close comrade during combat. While all other personnel receive the Vir Chakra, Tabby is conspicuously omitted despite his involvement. Deeply affected, Ahuja removes his own Vir Chakra medal and places it on Tabby’s photograph. Upon interrogating Ahmed further, he uncovers leads but does not receive governmental approval to pursue them.

Two decades later, retired Ahuja receives a package from Ahmed containing a book about the Indo-Pakistani war of 1965. Armed with new evidence, he reopens the investigation and becomes part of an inquiry team. Their international search leads them to meet Ahmed in Pakistan, who recounts his most memorable aerial battle against an unidentified Indian pilot—Tabby—who skillfully evaded advanced US weaponry and ultimately downed Ahmed’s aircraft by sacrificing himself within Pakistani territory. Based on this testimony and corroborating evidence of Tabby’s heroism, he is posthumously honored with the Maha Vir Chakra, becoming uniquely recognized among Indian soldiers for this distinction.

Production

The project entered its development phase in June 2022, with pre-production wrapping up by March 2023. The film was officially unveiled on 2 October 2023, aligning with Gandhi Jayanti. Its narrative draws inspiration from India's counterattack on Pakistan's Sargodha airbase during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani aerial conflict.

Filming

Principal photography commenced on 31 May 2023 in Mumbai. Production then moved to Lucknow in August 2023 and concluded on 26 April 2024. The shooting schedule lasted 100 days, including 60 days featuring Akshay Kumar, across various locations such as Mumbai, Lucknow, Sitapur, Amritsar, Hyderabad, Delhi, Pathankot, and the United Kingdom. A special musical number starring Veer Pahariya and Sara Ali Khan was filmed in Mussoorie. The final patchwork and song sequences were completed by 17 December 2024.

Soundtrack

Released under the Saregama label on 28 January 2025, the film’s soundtrack marks Tanishk Bagchi’s first solo composition effort, accompanied by a background score from Justin Varghese. The lyrics were penned by Irshad Kamil, Manoj Muntashir, and Shloke Lal. The initial single, "Maaye," debuted on 8 January 2025, followed by three tracks—"Kya Meri Yaad Aati Hai," "Aankhon Mein Base Ho Tum," and "Maine Dil Se Poochha"—released together on 11 January 2025. The third single, "Rang," launched on 17 January 2025, showcases notable chemistry between the lead actors. Additionally, the classic Lata Mangeshkar song from 1963, "Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon," is featured as a homage to Indian soldiers. The fifth single, "Tu Hain Toh Main Hoon," was made available on 22 January 2025.

Theatrical

Originally planned for a 2 October 2024 release, Sky Force premiered in theaters on 24 January 2025, available in IMAX, 4DX, D-Box, and ICE formats.

Home media

The movie began streaming on Amazon Prime Video starting from 21 March 2025.

Critical response

Ganesh Aaglave of Firstpost awarded the film a rating of 4/5 stars, commending its emotional resonance along with its depiction of valor and patriotism. Sarika Sharma from Moneycontrol also rated it 4/5 stars, emphasizing Akshay Kumar’s compelling portrayal and the film’s timely release ahead of Republic Day (India). Dhaval Roy of The Times of India gave it a score of 3.5/5, appreciating the film’s balanced patriotic tone and heartfelt narrative despite some storyline weaknesses.

Anuj Kumar from The Hindu criticized the film’s uneven narrative structure, whereas Risabh Suri of Hindustan Times lauded Kumar’s subtle performance, describing the film as a well-crafted emotional war drama. Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in found the plot to lack focus, which undermined the overall impact.

Vineeta Kumar of India Today rated it 3/5 stars, valuing its measured approach to nationalism and emphasis on an overlooked war hero. Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV assigned a score of 2.5/5, citing inconsistent execution and overuse of CGI air combat scenes but acknowledging satisfactory acting performances. Similarly, The Indian Express critic Shubhra Gupta rated it 2.5/5 stars, appreciating the restrained jingoism, the background music, and Veer Pahariya’s debut while drawing comparisons to Fighter.

Box office

According to Pinkvilla, the film experienced a notable decline in earnings on Monday following a robust opening weekend, which was largely driven by significantly reduced ticket prices. The production wrapped up its theatrical run with an approximate global revenue ranging between ₹144 crore and ₹168.60 crore, garnering a moderate assessment from Box Office India.

Controversies

The movie encountered prohibitions in multiple Arab Gulf countries, such as the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. Furthermore, certain members of the Kodava community expressed their disapproval, objecting to the portrayal of Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devaiah as being Tamil, which they considered inaccurate.