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Bollywood megastar Salman Khan recently ventured into the podcast space, making his debut on his nephew Arhaan Khan’s YouTube channel, Dumb Biryani. During their discussion, the Dabangg star recounted a harrowing experience that could have turned fatal. This nerve-wracking incident took place while he was traveling overseas alongside actress Sonakshi Sinha and his younger brother, Sohail Khan.
Reflecting on that unforgettable moment, Salman narrated how their return flight from an award function turned into an ordeal due to extreme turbulence. Unlike the usual brief jolts experienced during air travel, this turbulence lasted an alarming 45 minutes. While most passengers were overwhelmed with fear, Sohail, in stark contrast, appeared entirely unfazed—so much so that he remained asleep throughout the chaos.
“We were flying back from the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards held in Sri Lanka. Everyone on board was in a jovial mood, laughing and chatting. Suddenly, the plane started shaking. Initially, it seemed like routine turbulence, but soon, the sounds grew louder, and a heavy silence fell over the cabin,” Salman recollected. “Sohail and I were seated together. I turned to check on him, and to my surprise, he was fast asleep, completely oblivious to what was happening. Meanwhile, the turbulence showed no signs of stopping—it continued for 45 straight minutes.”
The actor confessed that his anxiety spiked when he noticed visible concern on the pilot’s face. “I glanced at the flight attendants, and one of them had her eyes shut, murmuring a prayer under her breath. That’s when reality hit me—I thought to myself, Oh no, this is serious! Pilots usually maintain a calm demeanor, but even they looked tense. That’s when the oxygen masks suddenly dropped from above. I was in shock because I had only ever seen that happen in movies!”
Just as passengers were beginning to regain their composure, the nightmare resumed. “After what felt like an eternity, the turbulence finally subsided. The tension in the air dissolved, and people slowly started chatting and laughing again. Sonakshi and her mother were also on board, and they seemed relieved,” Salman recalled. “But then, out of nowhere, the plane started shaking violently again. This time, it lasted for another ten minutes. Within seconds, the entire aircraft fell silent again—nobody dared to speak or even breathe too loudly. From that point until landing, the atmosphere remained eerily quiet.”
However, as soon as the plane touched down safely, the passengers’ demeanor changed entirely. “The moment we landed, it was as if nothing had happened. Suddenly, everyone started walking with confidence, acting like they hadn’t been terrified just moments before. It was hilarious to watch how quickly people switched from panic mode to acting cool,” he said with a chuckle. (The Economic Times)
