Airlift Director Raja Krishna Menon Salutes Captain Smit Machchhar Over FlyDubai Hijack Incident

Filmmaker Raja Krishna Menon has praised Captain Smit Machchhar for his courage and presence of mind during the recent FlyDubai hijack incident. Menon, who directed the 2016 film Airlift, used social media to acknowledge the pilot's actions and emphasize the heavy responsibilities of commanding an aircraft during a crisis.

On Instagram, Menon commended Capt Machchhar for his “tremendous presence of mind, selflessness, and incredible bravery,” adding that being a pilot involves far more than simply flying a plane. He ended his post with a direct message stating, “We salute you Capt Smit Machchhar!”

Menon's comments highlighted the critical decision-making, composure, and responsibility required during challenging in-air situations. Menon previously directed Airlift, a 2016 film starring Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur that was inspired by the evacuation of Indian citizens from Kuwait during the 1990 Iraq-Kuwait crisis.

On the work front, Menon is preparing for his Tamil directorial debut with a psychological thriller starring Trisha Krishnan, Aparna Balamurali, and Radhika Sarathkumar.