Ajay Devgn calls Captain Smit Machchhar a hero in every sense of the word, wishes him a speedy recovery: ‘A true display of courage and duty |

Ajay Devgn has joined several Bollywood celebrities in praising Flydubai pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage during a terrifying mid-air incident. Machchhar was reportedly attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot while operating flight FZ1073, but managed to take action that helped prevent further danger to the 174 people on board.Taking to X on Saturday, Ajay lauded the captain for his bravery and wished him a speedy recovery. He wrote, “There are heroes, and then there are those who show us what true courage looks like. Captain Smit Machchhar, you are a hero in every sense of the word. Wishing you strength and a speedy recovery.”Ajay is among several actors who have publicly praised Machchhar following the incident. Shah Rukh Khan had earlier applauded the pilot’s actions, writing on X, “Captain Smit Machchhar, you stood strong when it mattered the most!! It’s not easy to stare adversity in the face and put one’s safety on the line… but you did just that to protect those onboard and showed us what being a Captain entails. A true display of courage and duty. Wishing you a speedy recovery, the country is proud of you…”Salman Khan also shared a message for the pilot on Friday night. He wrote, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain (You’ve done a fantastic job, Pilot-ji; we all salute you) Will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt #SmitMachchhar.”Karan Johar, too, shared a photograph of the captain and praised him for putting the safety of others before his own. He wrote, “It takes another grain of courage to be fighting for your own life but in that split second, put the lives of all others before yours. And that’s what captain Smit Machchhar did in the face of the toughest times. And for that, the entire country & humankind is behind you! Thank you for your selfless, courageous and brave heart, you are an inspiration for the generations to come.”Vicky Kaushal described Machchhar as a “braveheart”, while Ranveer Singh called him “courageous”. Paresh Rawal, R Madhavan, Vijay Deverakonda and Ravi Kishan were among the other celebrities who expressed their admiration for the pilot and wished him a speedy recovery.Captain Smit Machchhar was flying Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv with 174 people on board, including 27 children. The incident reportedly took place on September 30, when the aircraft was flying over Saudi Arabia and Machchhar was attacked and stabbed by his co-pilot inside the cockpit.Despite sustaining serious injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door. Passengers and crew members were then able to intervene and overpower the attacker. Two other pilots who were travelling on the flight subsequently assisted in taking control of the aircraft.The flight was diverted to Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.Meanwhile on work front for Ajay, the actor is recently seen in ‘Drishyam 3’ which has turned out to be his biggest opener so far.