From Salman Khan calling Captain Smit Machchhar “kamaal kar diya pilot ji” to Vicky Kaushal’s “Braveheart” message, Bollywood stars have come together to salute the flydubai pilot.
Captain Smit Machchhar has become the centre of a wave of admiration after his courageous actions during a terrifying mid-air emergency aboard Flydubai flight FZ1073. On September 30, the flight was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when Machchhar was reportedly attacked by his co-pilot inside the cockpit. The Boeing 737 was carrying 174 people.
Despite being injured, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, allowing crew members and passengers to intervene. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. He later spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed about the incident.
The pilot’s actions have now drawn praise from several Bollywood celebrities.
Salman Khan was among those who applauded Captain Machchhar. Sharing his message on X, Salman wrote, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain will be a pleasure to fly with u .. Well done bro. Capt #SmitMachchhar.” His words praised the pilot’s courage while also expressing the actor’s trust and admiration for him.
Ranveer Singh shared a picture of Machchhar and called him “Captain Courageous.” Vicky Kaushal shared the pilot’s photograph with the words, “Braveheart! Capt Smit Machchhar.” Rashmika Mandanna also expressed her admiration, highlighting how Machchhar was fighting for his own life while remaining focused on the lives of everyone onboard.
Anil Kapoor shared a personal connection to the story, revealing that his friend Jalal had known Machchhar since flying school and had always regarded him as someone he would want beside him in a difficult situation. Kapoor praised the pilot’s courage and wished him a speedy recovery.
The tributes have continued to pour in from across the industry, with R Madhavan, Vijay Deverakonda, Sunny Deol, Tamannaah Bhatia, Paresh Rawal, Shilpa Shetty, Jackie Shroff, Kangana Ranaut, Nimrat Kaur, Shanaya Kapoor, Sharvari, Varun Dhawan and several others expressing their admiration for Machchhar.
With Captain Smit Machchhar continuing his recovery, Bollywood’s messages have echoed one sentiment — respect for the pilot who remained focused on the safety of those onboard during an extraordinary emergency.
