Captain Smit Machchhar hailed as 'Captain courageous': Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh and Bollywood stars praise pilot

Captain Smit Machchhar’s courage during a mid-air emergency has drawn widespread praise from Bollywood celebrities, with Shah Rukh Khan calling his actions a “true display of courage and duty”.

Machchhar was piloting Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 when he was attacked by his co-pilot inside the cockpit. Despite suffering serious injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing others to intervene and helping avert a potentially catastrophic situation involving 174 people on board.

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Shah Rukh Khan praises Captain Smit Machchhar

Shah Rukh Khan took to X to commend Captain Machchhar for putting the safety of passengers ahead of his own during the emergency.

“Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most,” SRK wrote, adding that the pilot’s decision to protect those onboard was a “true display of courage and duty”. He also wished Machchhar a speedy recovery and said the country was proud of him.

The actor’s post came as several Bollywood personalities took to social media to acknowledge the pilot’s actions and send him messages of support.

Ranveer Singh calls him ‘Captain Courageous’

Dhurandhar star Ranveer Singh shared a photograph of Captain Machchhar and described him as “Captain Courageous” in a social media tribute. His post was among several messages from Bollywood personalities praising the pilot’s bravery and presence of mind.

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Anil Kapoor recalls Machchhar’s reputation for courage

Anil Kapoor shared a photograph of Machchhar and wrote, "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."

Ravi Kishan hails his ‘indomitable courage’

Actor-politician Ravi Kishan also hails Captain Machchhar, describing him as an embodiment of “unwavering loyalty to duty, indomitable courage, and extraordinary wisdom.” He praised the pilot for continuing to protect passengers despite sustaining serious injuries and wished him a speedy recovery.

Salman Khan, Vicky Kaushal and others join tributes

Earlier, Salman Khan took X post to praise Captain Smit. Vicky Kaushal shared a picture of Machchhar on Instagram Stories with the message “Braveheart! Capt Smit Machchhar.” Sunny Deol also praised the pilot’s courage and presence of mind, while Tamannaah Bhatia highlighted the responsibility of protecting 174 lives even while fighting for his own survival.

R Madhavan, Vijay Deverakonda, Paresh Rawal, Shilpa Shetty and several other film personalities have also expressed admiration for Machchhar and wished him a speedy recovery.