Israeli-American musician Itay Benda has paid a musical tribute to Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot who confronted a colleague during a flydubai flight and helped avert an alleged attempt to crash the aircraft while it was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Following the incident, Benda chose to honour Machchhar through a Hindi song, describing the performance as his personal way of expressing gratitude to the pilot.
Benda specially learned Shah Rukh Khan’s popular song “Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai” for the tribute and dedicated his performance to what he described as the “brave” Captain Machchhar and Indians around the world. The musician said the performance was his “small way of saying thank you,” highlighting his appreciation for the pilot’s actions during the reported mid-air confrontation.
A video of Benda performing the song has since gone viral on social media. In the video, the musician can be seen singing the Hindi track as he pays tribute to Machchhar. The choice of song also connected the tribute with Indian popular culture, with Benda learning the Hindi lyrics specifically for the occasion.
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“Tujh Mein Rab Dikhta Hai” was originally sung by Roop Kumar Rathore and featured in the 2008 Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. The song became widely known following the film’s release and has remained a popular Hindi film track. Benda’s rendition brought the song into the context of his tribute to the Indian pilot.
The tribute comes after the reported incident aboard the flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, during which Machchhar confronted a colleague in the air. His intervention has drawn attention because of the alleged circumstances surrounding the incident and the potential consequences for passengers aboard the aircraft. Benda’s performance specifically recognised the pilot for what he described as his bravery.
The viral video has also drawn attention because of the unusual cross-cultural nature of the tribute, with an Israeli-American musician learning a Hindi film song to honour an Indian pilot. By choosing a well-known Shah Rukh Khan song and dedicating it to Machchhar and Indians worldwide, Benda sought to convey his appreciation through music while marking the pilot’s actions during the reported flight incident.
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