Kodavas seek apology for misrepresentation in Hindi ‘Skyforce’

Madikeri: Upset over the alleged misrepresentation of the brave Kodava squadron leader AB Devaiah in the Bollywood movie ‘Skyforce', Kodavas have expressed dissatisfaction, claiming they were disregarded in the movie. Devaiah played a crucial role in the 1965 war.Tanya Appachu Kaul, an advocate and social media influencer from the Kodava community, said the filmmakers misrepresented Devaiah's cultural roots. Tanya pointed out that the movie depicts Devaiah, a Kodava, as a Tamilian. Her Instagram video criticising this creative choice went viral, sparking widespread discussion on social media."It may not be a big deal to a lot of people, but as someone from the Kodava community, a minority not represented at all in pop culture, it made me feel uncomfortable that no trouble was taken to represent us correctly (sic)," Tanya wrote in the video post."When you are making a movie about a real person, show respect to his roots, his culture, and his family. Just because we are a minority that not many know about, you cannot change the entire lineage of a real person," Tanya has said.Many members of the Kodava community have also echoed Tanya's concerns, criticising the filmmakers for allegedly altering Devaiah's lineage.IIythichanda Ramesh Uthappa, who authored a book on Devaiah, said: "I'm deeply upset by the distortion of the story. The film portrays Devaiah as T Krishnan Vijay, which is not only an insult to this proud warrior, but also to the martial race of Kodavas. The filmmakers did not even consult with Devaiah's family, authors, or publishers before releasing the film. I demand a public apology from the directors for misrepresenting the warrior and disrespecting the people of Kodagu."The film cast includes Akshay Kumar as Wing Commander O P Taneja (Veer Chakra), Veer Pahariya as Squadron Leader Devaiah, and Sara Ali Khan as Sundari Devaiah, the squadron leader's wife.