The much-anticipated action thriller movie Sky Force starring superstar Akshay Kumar and debutant Veer Pahariya has made a huge impact at the box office since its release on Friday, January 24 with both audiences and critics lapping up Akshay’s powerful performance.
The film chronicles India’s first airstrike during the 1965 Indo-Pakistani air war. However, the movie has faced a ban in major Middle Eastern countries including The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Sultanate of Oman.
According to reports of Bollywood Hungama, the film’s ban stemmed from its treatment of India-Pakistan relations which historically creates sensitivity throughout the Middle East.
A source quoted by the entertainment portal suggests that Middle Eastern countries previously restricted films which dealt with political content because of such sensitivity.
However, the team member of the film has dismissed these allegations and claimed that Sky Force does not engage in jingoistic elements or attacks against Pakistan.
The film’s narrative focuses on Squadron Leader Ajjamada Boppayya Devayya’s experiences using the fictional character Veer Pahariya to portray him. Akshay Kumar plays Group Captain A O Ahuja. The movie also features female actresses Sara Ali Khan and Nimrat Kaur.
Users on X have lauded its patriotic content as they rated the movie among the best such films released in recent times. Some have even compared it to other military dramas while describing it as a “no-nonsense patriotic film.”
The production team announced the movie in October 2023 before finishing the shoot by late April 2024. The strategy to release the film during the Republic Day weekend appears to have worked in its favour.
