New Delhi: Actor Lara Dutta, in a conversation with Sonal Kalra for The Right Angle, revealed her frightening experience in Dubai amid the conflict between US-Israel and Iran, and the possible impact it may have had on her daughter Saira Bhupathi.
Reflecting on the incident after her return to India, Lara spoke about the anxiety she experienced during those tense days and the trauma her daughter might carry after witnessing the situation.
Lara explained that the UAE has been home for the family for the past three years as Saira has been training there with an elite performance tennis coach.
When the conflict escalated, she and her 14-year-old daughter were alone in Dubai while her husband, former tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, was in London for work.
“The UAE has been home for us for the last three years, so I wouldn’t say that I was stuck there. But until the moment you hear bombs being intercepted overhead and those loud booms that sound like sonic blasts, it doesn’t feel like a close reality. The government has been doing an incredible job of keeping everyone safe, but you can feel protected and anxious at the same time,” the actress said.
Speaking about her journey back to India, Lara revealed that she and Saira decided to take a flight from Fujairah, which meant driving nearly two hours by road amid constant alerts of missile interceptions.
“We were told to stay indoors, and we lived about 10 kilometres away from Jebel Ali Port, which was being bombed repeatedly. You could feel the reverberations every time there was an interception,” she recalled.
“Still, we decided to take a chance because I wanted to be with my husband and family.”
The journey itself was tense, she said, as many flights were being cancelled and explosions could still be heard even at the airport.
“As we were taking off, we saw a huge orange ball of fire not very far away,” she said, adding jokingly that she later told her co-star Akshay Kumar that the experience felt like being part of ‘Airlift 2’.
Recalling how her daughter coped with the situation, Lara said Saira created a small shelter for herself inside their home.
“She made a little space under the staircase with a sleeping bag, pillows and essentials. Every time the alerts went off, that’s where we went until it was safe again,” the actor shared.
Lara, who comes from an Army family, said she stocked up on essentials and packed an emergency bag in case evacuation orders were issued.
Despite being back home safely, the actor believes the experience may leave a lasting emotional impact on her daughter.
“I am very clear that my daughter will definitely have some amount of trauma after living through this,” she said.
She also urged people still in the Middle East to follow government instructions and remain cautious.
“The authorities are doing everything in their power. The best thing you can do is follow the guidelines to keep yourself safe.”
