That Veer Pahariya, who makes his Bollywood debut today with ‘Sky Force’, is going to go places there is no doubt. Audiences that were privileged to see previews of the Jio Studios-Maddox Films production on the Indo-Pak War of 1965 earlier this week, and those who caught the first shows today, came away super impressed by Veer’s performance. His character is a rebellious Squadron Leader who breaks convention and takes the war to the enemy by disobeying orders and going into battle to rescue his co-fighter pilots. And Veer played it with a quiet confidence and authority, a killer glint in his eye and panther-like stride. It was almost like seeing Virat Kohli stepping up to the crease to score runs against Pakistan when India needed them most in an exciting World Cup match. The applause in the multiplexes was the same as that in cricket stadiums when India played Pakistan.

Veer himself is aware that he has made an impact on audiences with his debut performance in ‘Sky Force’. And not one to rest on these laurels, his sight is firmly set on the future already. Talking to the media, the young actor said, “I want to be part of stories that matter and challenge me as an actor. I don’t want to exist in this industry just because of a last name or a legacy. I want to rule it with stories that matter.” Brave words indeed for a newcomer. But why not? Veer has shown already in ‘Sky Force’ that he has the courage of his conviction to work alongside a Bollywood legend like Akshay Kumar and deliver a standout performance. “My ambition is to be part of narratives that move people, that stay with them long after the credits roll,” he said. Like it did in ‘Sky Force’ when Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’ played on the screen with the credits…