Ahmedabad plane crash aftermath: Salman Khan cancels major event as entertainment industry pauses in mourning

Time of India

21 hours ago

A tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, involving Flight AI171 bound for London with 242 people onboard, led to the cancellation of several major entertainment events. Salman Khan called off an Indian Supercross Racing League press conference, Vishnu Manchu postponed the trailer launch of Kannappa, and Netflix India cancelled the screening of Rana Naidu Season 2. Numerous Bollywood celebrities expressed grief on social media, standing in solidarity with the victims and their families as rescue operations continue.
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Entertainment Events Cancelled Across the Country
Other Cancellations in Solidarity
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Film Industry Expresses Grief
The entertainment industry came to a halt on Thursday following the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner shortly after it took off from Ahmedabad en route to London's Gatwick Airport. The aircraft, Flight AI171, was carrying 242 individuals, including 230 passengers and 12 crew members, when it went down minutes after departure from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.In response to the disaster, several major entertainment events were postponed or cancelled. Salman Khan, who was set to appear at an Indian Supercross Racing League (ISRL) event in Mumbai, cancelled his appearance. The actor was to be announced as the league's brand ambassador during a press conference scheduled with ISRL co-founders Ishan Lokhande and Veer Patel.A joint statement from the organisers and Salman Khan read, 'As we all have just heard the tragic incident that has taken place today. Indian Supercross Racing League and Mr. Salman Khan stand by the Nation United in this tough time. All our condolences and prayers are with the affected families. Jointly, we have made a responsible decision to reschedule this event to a further date.'Eeshan Lokhande, the ISRL founder, reiterated the sentiment, underlining that it was not an appropriate time for celebrations. Prior to the cancellation, Salman Khan had shared a promotional video for the event on Instagram, captioned "#flirtwithdirt @indiansupercrossleague."Actor Vishnu Manchu also postponed a high-profile event related to his upcoming film Kannappa. A trailer launch event was scheduled to be held in Indore, but the actor confirmed its deferment through a social media post. He wrote, 'My heart breaks for the lives lost in today's Ahmedabad Air India crash . In deep mourning, we're deferring the #Kanappa trailer release by one day and canceling tomorrow's Indore pre‑release event. My prayers are with the families during this unimaginably difficult time.'Netflix India also cancelled the Mumbai screening of Rana Naidu Season 2, which was to be hosted at Chitra Cinema. The official statement read, 'Due to the devastating Ahmedabad plane crash incident, we've made the decision to cancel the Rana Naidu screening at Netflix India. Our thoughts and condolences go out to everyone affected by this tragedy.'Tributes poured in from across the Indian film industry. Salman Khan shared a condolence message on Instagram: 'Deeply saddened to hear about the Ahmedabad plane crash…Heartfelt prayers for the families of the passengers, crew and all those affected.'Shah Rukh Khan expressed his sorrow on X, writing, 'Absolutely heartbroken with the news about the crash in Ahmedabad… my prayers for the victims, their families and all affected."Aamir Khan's production house also posted on behalf of the actor, stating, 'We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash that occurred today… our thoughts and condolences are with the families of those affected. We stand in solidarity with the individuals, communities, and responders impacted by this devastating event.'Other stars including Sunny Deol, Parineeti Chopra, R Madhavan, Sonu Sood, and Riteish Deshmukh also extended their sympathies through social media, expressing support for victims' families and gratitude toward first responders.Visuals from the crash site showed heavy smoke and emergency personnel at the scene, as efforts continued to manage the aftermath. Police had cordoned off the surrounding area, and traffic around the airport was being rerouted.