R Madhavan, Vijay Deverakonda, Paresh Rawal praise flydubai hero Smit Machchhar

Actors R Madhavan, Vijay Deverakonda, Ravi Kishan, and Paresh Rawal have praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his extraordinary valour after he successfully thwarted an alleged mid-air attempt by his co-pilot to crash a flydubai flight carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children.While sharing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement on the incident, actor R Madhavan wished the captain a speedy recovery, calling him "a true hero."Joining the tributes, actor Vijay Deverakonda commended Machchhar’s composure under extreme duress. "May God protect you and bless you Captain. What you faced and what you did is incredible. Along with everyone else on that flight (sic)," Deverakonda wrote.May God protect you and bless you CaptainWhat you faced and what you did is incredible. Along with everyone else on that flight. https://t.co/lKK8gzyMZy— Vijay Deverakonda (@TheDeverakonda) October 1, 2026Actor-politician Ravi Kishan praised the pilot's selfless devotion to duty, highlighting his resilience in preventing a major catastrophe. "Captain Smit Machchhar is the epitome of unwavering loyalty to duty, indomitable courage, and extraordinary wisdom (sic)," Kishan wrote, highlighting that the captain's actions remain a source of immense national pride.Veteran actor Paresh Rawal offered a wordplay on the pilot's surname, referencing actor Nana Patekar’s famous dialogue from the 1994 film Krantiveer: "Remembering NANA PATEKAR'S FAMOUS DIALOGUE: Ek Machhhar Aadmiko ... (sic)!"The incident occurred aboard a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight originating from Dubai, which was subsequently diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. According to Israeli officials, the co-pilot launched a violent mid-air assault, stabbing Captain Machchhar inside the cockpit. Despite sustaining severe injuries and lying bleeding on the cockpit floor, the Mumbai-native pilot managed to activate the emergency release mechanism to open the cockpit door. His decisive action enabled cabin crew and passengers to enter, overpower the assailant, and allow two off-duty flydubai pilots travelling as passengers to safely land the aircraft.Captain Machchhar is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries at a hospital in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where his condition continues to be monitored.- Ends