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Captain Smit Machchhar receives widespread praise from Bollywood stars following the Flydubai Flight FZ1073 incident. (Img: X)
Mumbai: Bollywood’s reel-life stars have come together to salute pilot Smit Machchhar, whose exemplary courage and remarkable presence of mind during a mid-air emergency aboard a Flydubai flight have earned him widespread admiration and turned him into a real-life hero.
From Salman Khan to Ranveer Singh, Vicky Kaushal and several other celebrities, the stars have hailed Machchhar’s reported courage under extraordinary circumstances. As details of the incident continue to draw widespread attention, the pilot has received praise from across the country for maintaining his composure while confronting a crisis thousands of feet above the ground.
Salman praised Machchhar, saying he would be happy to fly with him. Reacting to reports of the incident, Khan took to social media to salute the pilot for his handling of the crisis. “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain, will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro,” the actor wrote.
His remarks have added to the public tributes being paid to Machchhar, whose conduct during the emergency has been widely highlighted as an example of professional composure and quick decision-making under extreme circumstances.
Machchhar was reportedly operating flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when an emergency unfolded inside the cockpit. According to reports, the pilot was attacked by the co-pilot, leaving him injured while the aircraft was in flight.
Despite being hurt, Machchhar is reported to have managed to reach the cockpit door and open it after realising that the aircraft had begun descending. The opening of the cockpit enabled passengers and crew members to intervene and restrain the alleged attacker.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted and landed safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The incident triggered widespread attention, with Machchhar receiving praise for his actions during the potentially dangerous situation.
The pilot later spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a video interaction from hospital and recounted how he responded after realising that something had gone seriously wrong aboard the aircraft.
The dramatic account of the emergency has prompted a wave of tributes from Bollywood, with several prominent actors highlighting Machchhar’s courage, composure and commitment to the passengers on board.
Ranveer Singh described the pilot as courageous and praised his actions while wishing him a speedy recovery. Vicky Kaushal also shared a photograph of Captain Machchhar inside the cockpit on his Instagram Stories. Alongside the picture, he wrote, “Braveheart! Capt Smit Machchhar.”
Tamannaah Bhatia highlighted the responsibility Captain Machchhar was carrying while dealing with the attack. Sharing a text post, she wrote, "Imagine being injured, fighting for your own life and still thinking about the 174 lives that are relying on you. Captain Smit Machchhar, so much respect Praying for your recovery"
Anil Kapoor also joined the tributes, sharing a photograph of Captain Machchhar and reflecting on a conversation with his friend Jalal, who had known the pilot since their flying-school days.
He wrote, "When this happened, Jalal told me he knew Smit since flying school and had always known him to be someone he'd want by his side in a difficult situation. It made me think about how much courage Smit must have had, right from the beginning, for the people around him to recognise it so early on."
The actor further added, "What Smit did in that moment was nothing short of extraordinary. It takes immense courage to stay strong and put others first when you're facing something so terrifying yourself. Sending him all my respect and wishing him a speedy recovery."
Sunny Deol also posted a picture of the pilot and praised the courage he displayed during the emergency. He wrote, "Captain Smit Machchhar - extraordinary courage and presence of mind when it mattered most. You helped avert a disaster and save lives. Wishing you a speedy recovery. Salute."
R Madhavan shared Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement about the incident and also wished the pilot a speedy recovery. Madhavan described Captain Machchhar as a “true hero” for his actions during the emergency. Vijay Deverakonda also praised the pilot for remaining calm during what was a life-threatening situation. He wished Captain Machchhar well and said that what he had faced and done was incredible.
Actor-politician Ravi Kishan praised Captain Machchhar’s dedication to duty, courage and presence of mind. He described his actions as an example of unwavering commitment and said they were a matter of national pride.
Paresh Rawal paid tribute to Captain Machchhar in his own style. Referring to the pilot’s surname, the actor recalled Nana Patekar’s popular dialogue from the 1994 film Krantiveer.
Shilpa Shetty also expressed her support for the pilot and everyone affected by the incident. She praised Captain Machchhar for helping bring more than 170 people on board to safety.
Jackie Shroff also shared a tribute, praising Captain Machchhar and the others who helped prevent what could have been a major tragedy. He described them as heroes who worked without seeking attention. Actors Sonam Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut were also among the celebrities who expressed their support for the pilot.
The incident has also led social media users to describe Captain Machchhar as a “Dhurandhar” pilot, with the term gaining attention online as tributes to his reported handling of the emergency continued to spread.
Actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut also re-shared Prime Minister Narendra Modi's social media post, where he praised Smit Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind during a mid-air incident aboard a Flydubai flight.
