A storm of controversy has erupted within the Kodava community after the release of the Hindi war film Sky Force on January 24, 2025, which portrays the life of Squadron Leader Ajjamada B. Devayya, a Maha Vir Chakra awardee. While the film celebrates Devayya's bravery during the 1965 Indo-Pak War, the Kodava community is up in arms over what they perceive as a major cultural misrepresentation.
The issue? The film depicts Devayya as a Tamilian, even though he was born into a Kodava family in Karnataka's Kodagu district. Tanya Appachu Kaul, a lawyer and social media influencer from the Kodava community, took to Instagram to voice her frustration.
In a now-viral video, Tanya pointed out that the filmmakers misrepresented the cultural roots of a war hero by portraying him as Tamil, triggering outrage among the Kodava people. "It may not be a big deal to many, but as someone from a minority community rarely represented in pop culture, it really discomforted me," Tanya said, sparking a fiery debate online.
Sky Force, directed by Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlani, stars Veer Pahariya as Squadron Leader Devayya, with Akshay Kumar and Sara Ali Khan in supporting roles. While the film dramatizes Devayya's heroic act of downing a Pakistani aircraft during the Sargodha airstrike, many argue that the filmmakers should have honored his true cultural identity.
As the controversy grows, the Kodava community is standing firm: "If you're making a movie about a real person, respect his roots and his culture," Tanya declared. With the community's strong response and the viral backlash, Sky Force might have more to reckon with than just box office numbers.
