While the entire country eagerly awaits the return of IAF pilot, Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, Indian celebrities hailed the hero's homecoming from Pakistan, where he was held by the country's Army since Wednesday.
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 was shot down.
As soon as the news came out, Indian celebrities started tweeting #WelcomeBackAbhinandan and #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan, turning them viral.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan took to Twitter and wrote, "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."
Preity G Zinta was a bit more critical and descriptive in her tweet. She wrote, "People in America r shocked dat a 65year old Russian #MIG21 shot down an American made & sold #F16 at the India Pak border.This tells a lot about pilot training.The best plane is the one with the best pilot inside. #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan #RealHero #IndianAirForce #JaiHind."
Varun Dhawan too tweeted, "Welcome back home #WelcomeBackAbinandan a true hero. These humane actions give hope that all humanity is not lost. Bharat mata ki Jai."
Riteish Deshmukh saluted the Wing Commander's courage and shared, "Welcome Back Home Dear #Abhinanadan - we salute your courage, bravery & service to our nation."
"What real heroes look like," Shahid Kapoor tweeted alongside a picture of Varthaman, while Alia Bhatt simply wrote, " Our hero is home."
Bollywood director and producer, host of 'Koffee with Karan', Karan Johar wrote, "We salute your bravery and valour....we applaud your strength in the face of adversity....#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan," while ace cricketer Virender Sehwag welcomed Abhinandan back home as well with teh tweet, "How proud we are to have you ! Bow down to your skills and even more your grit and courage #WelcomeBackAbhinandan . We love you and are filled with pride because of you."
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.
Wing Commander Varthaman, flying a MiG -21 Bison fighter plane, was chasing Pakistani jets which transgressed into Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday and crossed over to PoK where his aircraft was shot down. He ejected safely and was taken to the custody by the Pakistani Army.
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