Hrithik Roshan To Fly IAF Sukhoi Su-30 MKI Jet In Upcoming 'Fighter' Movie?

Bollywood superstar Hrithik Roshan will soon play a lead role a fighter jet pilot of the Indian Air Force, in an upcoming movie called 'Fighter'. In a recently released teaser image, Hrithik can be seen standing with two fighter jets, whose engine nozzles are visible. While the jets are not visible in the first teaser of the movie, a report on the EurAsian Times confirms that Hrithik Roshan would be flying the Russia-made Sukhoi Su-30 MKI ‘Flanker-H’. The film is touted as the first aerial action film of India and takes inspiration from the successful 'Top Gun' movie from Hollywood, starring Tom Cruise. 

The report further states that the Indian Air Force officials have confirmed that the film’s shooting took place in Tezpur (Assam), Air Force Academy Dundigal (Hyderabad), Gwalior, and Mumbai. The Tezpur air force base in Assam is home to No. 2 Squadron of the Indian Air Force that flies the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI. On the other hand, Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh is home to the IAF’s Tactics and Combat Development Establishment (TACDE).

IAF Sukhoi Su-30MKI

The Sukhoi Su-30 MKI has been the face of the combat prowess of the IAF for many years until the Dassault Rafale were inducted in the force. Called 'Flanker', the fighter is known for its high manoeuvrability and long endurance and is made specifically for the Indian Air Force by Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi. The Su-30MKI is a twin-seater aircraft powered by two Al-31FP turbojet engines.

The supersonic twin-jet fighter jet with a maximum flight range of 3,000km gets in-flight refueling system. India has close to 270 units of these fighter jets, often called the backbone of the IAF, with 140 Su-30s being made by Sukhoi in Russia and other units made by Indian aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in 2002. 

Inspired By Top Gun

The Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise starring Top Gun: Maverick, which released in 2022, as the second part of Top Gun series shattered all box office records. The movie franchise centres around Top Gun, a premier institute of Navy fighter pilots who fly fighter jets like the F/A-18E Super Hornet from an aircraft carrier. The 2022 movie also featured SR-71 Blackbird based SR-72, Sukhoi Su-57 among other aicrafts.