FlyDubai Hijacking Film in the Works at Dori Media and Sphereorigin

Dori Media Group and Mumbai-based Sphereorigin are developing a narrative film about the Sept. 30 FlyDubai hijacking attempt, with the two companies hoping for release on an accelerated timetable next year. The deal came together in just three days at the Mipcom market in Cannes.

The film will center on Capt. Smit Machchhar, the pilot who survived a stabbing attack allegedly carried out by his co-pilot and helped prevent what prosecutors say was a plan to crash the aircraft into Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. The flight was carrying mostly Israeli citizens returning home from Dubai.

What happened on the flight?

According to authorities and passenger accounts, the co-pilot allegedly stabbed Machchhar and seized the controls. The plane is reported to have dropped more than 14,000 feet for about 30 seconds. Machchhar, despite his injuries, opened the locked cockpit door from the inside, letting passengers hear the commotion and intervene. A group of passengers subdued the suspected assailant, and two off-duty pilots traveling on the flight landed the plane safely in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — a notable gesture, since the kingdom does not otherwise allow Israel-affiliated aircraft to land on its soil.

Machchhar has become a national hero in both India and Israel. In a widely publicized video call with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he described the moment: "I was lying on the floor injured but I told myself to go for one last push to open the door from inside. I was of course fighting for my own life but at the same time I knew I was not going to let others die."

The accused co-pilot is under arrest and faces prosecution by UAE authorities. Machchhar is recovering from his injuries.

How did the deal come together?

The project moved fast. Sunjoy Waddhwa, managing director of Sphereorigin, said Indian media firms approached him with unsolicited inquiries about the story, which prompted him to pursue a development deal. Subhadarshi Tripathy brokered the pact between the two companies.

Dori Media chief Nadav Palti got the call on Oct. 11, on the eve of Mipcom's opening. The sides met in the Dori Media booth at the Palais and finalized the development agreement by the afternoon of Oct. 14. Palti told Variety the speed of the deal signaled how strongly both companies wanted to tell the story of an incident that could have ended in mass casualties.

"We are honored to jointly produce this special film with the team at Sphereorigins," Palti said. "What happened on that flight was nothing short of a miracle and we will approach this film by looking to tell the heroic story of the pilot and those brave passengers who helped save the lives of many aboard that historic flight."

Waddhwa framed the partnership in similar terms: "We were approached by streaming platforms and broadcasters in India expressing interest to tell the heroic story of the Indian pilot and the courageous Israeli passengers on that recent flight. We are privileged to collaborate with Dori Media on this premium project as we have known and worked with them for a long time and together with Subh (Subhadarshi Tripathy) felt they'd be the ideal partner to produce a film of this caliber."

Who are the producers?

Sphereorigin was founded by Waddhwa and others in 2002 and is based in Mumbai. Dori Media Group, founded in 1996, ranks among Israel's largest independent producers, working out of Tel Aviv, Zurich and Buenos Aires. Its slate spans documentary features, docuseries, game and competition formats, and scripted drama, including Spanish-language content for Argentina and other Latin American markets. The company brought its largest-ever slate to this year's Mipcom.

What does this change for audiences?

Not much yet — the project has no writer or director attached, and both companies are still searching. The open question is whether a film pitched around a single act of heroism can find a creative team and hit its ambitious target of a release next year, at a moment when the incident is still fresh and the legal case against the co-pilot is unresolved in the UAE.