Bollywood Beats Blast Off: Indian Astronaut's SRK Anthem Fuels Axiom Mission 4 Launch

As the countdown concluded at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, the Axiom Mission 4 crew soared towards the International Space Station. A particular song resonated with Indian pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla: "Yuh Hi Chala Chal" from Shah Rukh Khan's 2004 film, Swades.

Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla's launch playlist includes SRK hit.

This motivational track, composed by AR Rahman and performed by Udit Narayan, Kailash Kher, and Hariharan, was Shukla's choice for his launch-day playlist. It represented both his heritage and the spirit of perseverance embodied by the film and his mission.

Axiom Space shared the Ax-4 crew's full playlist on X (formerly Twitter). While mission commander and spaceflight veteran Peggy Whitson selected "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons, Shukla's Bollywood selection captured attention.

Launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon from Florida’s Launch Complex 39A at 2:31 am ET (12 noon IST), Ax-4 represents the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS. The crew includes Shukla, Whitson, Poland’s Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski, and Hungary’s Tibor Kapu. They are scheduled to dock with the station by 4 pm IST on Thursday, June 26.

The team will spend up to 14 days in orbit conducting over 60 experiments and commercial activities representing 31 countries, including India. Shukla's participation signifies a major collaboration between ISRO and NASA. The astronauts are equipped with advanced AxEMU spacesuits designed for future Moon missions.

Echoing the theme of Swades, where an Indian-origin Nasa scientist finds renewed purpose in rural India, Shukla carries a similar spirit into orbit. This demonstrates that science, like music, transcends boundaries.