Amitabh Bachchan, who co-starred with Ajay Devgn in the aviation drama, has praised Ajay Devgn’s upcoming directorial, Runway 34. Ajay, who previously stated that he would not have done the film unless Amitabh Bachchan agreed to star in it, took to social media on Saturday to reveal a handwritten note from the senior actor. Ajay claimed that he was overwhelmed with emotion after reading Amitabh’s handwritten note in which he stated that it was an “absolute honour” to be directed by Ajay in the film.
The letter, dated April 29, was written on a notepad with Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan’s names, and a logo in the shape of a B for Bachchan. In the letter, Amitabh stated, “Ajay! Ajay! Ajay! An absolute honour to be a part of ’34’ and be the recipient of a magnificent director’s gift. Your work is superior. The way you have put everything together is simply marvellous. They say it’s your best– but I know that there shall be many more ‘bests.’ Congratulations.”
Ajay posted a picture of the note with the caption, “When the illustrious Amitabh Bachchan stars in your directorial venture, it is an honour that is hard to express in words. And when he uses his heartfelt words in a handwritten note it stirs emotions that are a heady mix of gratitude & satisfaction. Thank you, Amit Ji! #Runway34.”
Runway 34 is based on a true story from 2015 when a Doha to Kochi flight almost missed landing owing to severe weather and insufficient visibility at the airport. It stars Ajay as Captain Vikrant Khanna, a flying marvel, and Rakul Preet Singh as his co-pilot Tanya Albuquerque. In this case, Amitabh Bachchan plays investigative officer Narayan Vedant. Ajay not only acted in the film, but he also directed and produced it.
Surprisingly, the picture was originally titled MayDay, but as the shoot progressed, director Ajay changed the title to Runway 34. A lot of people didn’t grasp the title MayDay. They compared it to a working day. “The best alternative to MayDay was Runway 34,” AJ remarked, “because the film is about why the captain chose Runway 34, which is the wrong Runway to land on. There is a mystery to Runway Number 34 in the film. Now, I think this is a more apt title.”
