Ajay Devgn and Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Runway 34’ maybe waiting in the wings to take off to the next destination of Rs 100 crore, but the film is far from impressing the real pilots of the aviation industry. In a statement released by the Federation of Indian Pilots, the body has made its displeasure clear. The organization said, “Dear Passengers, don’t confuse reel with real,” with a hashtag ‘Runway 34’. On the other hand, its statement reads, “Recently, a Hindi movie has been released with the title ‘Runway 34’. The profession of airline pilots has been unrealistically portrayed in the movie and may create apprehensions in the minds of nervous fliers. While we all enjoy being entertained and appreciate the artistic licence of a movie director, a thrilling tale should not be perceived as a true depiction of the extraordinary professionalism among airline pilots who perform thousands of flights every day responsibly and safely without incident and fanfare.” The story of ‘Runway 34’ also does not seem to have gone down well with the federation. “It is reiterated that the character in the movie does not accurately represent our profession and that the industry has a zero-tolerance policy towards deviant behaviour and substance abuse. Our pilots are committed to abide by the highest standards of professionalism to honour the trust reposed in us by our employers, the aviation regulator and the public at large,” the statement ends. At the box office, the film has garnered almost Rs 23 crore worldwide.
