Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and a host of other Bollywood celebrities hailed “true hero†Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman’s return to India, two days after the IAF pilot was captured by Pakistan following a dogfight when his MiG 21 Bison was shot down.
Hailing his bravery, superstar Shah Rukh Khan tweeted, “There is no better feeling than coming back home and for home is the place of love, hope and dreams. Your bravery makes us stronger. Eternally grateful.â€
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan tweeted, “Happy that Wing Co Abhinandan comes home.â€
Director-producer Karan Johar tweeted, “We salute your bravery and valour....we applaud your strength in the face of adversity.... #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan.â€
Actor Varun Dhawan wrote, “Welcome back home #WelcomeBackAbinandan a true hero. These humane actions give hope that all humanity is not lost. Bharat mata ki Jai.â€
Ranveer Singh said Varthaman’s bravery in the face of adversity was admirable and something that the country would never forget.
“Abhinandan is a true hero. The way he conducted himself in the face of adversity and the kind of dignity with which he carried himself, he is an inspiration for the whole nation,†Ranveer said at a conclave in Delhi.
“What real heroes look like,†Shahid Kapoor tweeted alongside a picture of Varthaman, while Alia Bhatt simply wrote, “Our hero is home.â€
After a suspenseful wait lasting hours, Varthaman finally returned home on Friday night from his nearly three-day captivity in Pakistan, a major step towards defusing a near-war situation triggered by India’s retaliation over Pakistan’s continued support for terrorism.
There is no better feeling than Coming back Home, for home is the place of love, hope & dreams. Ur bravery makes us stronger. Eternally grateful. #WelcomeBackAbhinandan pic.twitter.com/NFTRINu6Mw
— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) March 1, 2019
We salute your bravery and valour....we applaud your strength in the face of adversity....#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan
— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) March 1, 2019
Welcome back home #WelcomeBackAbinandan a true hero. These humane actions give hope that all humanity is not lost. Bharat mata ki Jai
— Varun Dhawan (@Varun_dvn) March 1, 2019
#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan You are a real hero and we as a nation stand beside you, Thank you for your selfless service, Jai Hind 🇮🇳
— Sidharth Malhotra (@SidMalhotra) March 1, 2019
Welcome home Abhinandan! आपकी वीरता सर आà¤à¤–ों पर! Inspiration to our whole nation . Jai Hind 🇮🇳✊
— Ranveer Singh (@RanveerOfficial) March 1, 2019
What a blessed visual to see our hero come back home. #Jaihind
— Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) March 1, 2019