Joyce Arora, mother of actor Malaika Arora, is currently stranded in Dubai after flights were suspended due to the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran.
Joyce had travelled to Dubai to celebrate a family birthday but was unable to return to Mumbai after flight services were disrupted amid rising regional tensions.
Witnessed missiles being intercepted
Speaking about her experience, Joyce described witnessing missiles being intercepted in the sky during the heightened security situation.
“I must say, I feel safe here. In fact, I could see the missiles being intercepted in the sky with my own eyes. It was frightening, but the Dubai military is doing a fantastic job,” she told The Times of India.
She added that her daughters in Mumbai remain in constant contact with her during the situation.
“My daughters are in Mumbai, and they know I am in safe hands. They call me three to four times a day, and we are constantly in touch,” she said.
Travel plans disrupted due to flight suspension
Joyce explained that she had travelled to Dubai to celebrate her elder sister’s birthday and ended up celebrating her own birthday there as well.
“I came here to celebrate my elder sister’s birthday, and just a couple of days later we celebrated mine too,” she said.
She was scheduled to return to Mumbai on March 3, but received a notification that her flight had been cancelled due to the ongoing conflict.
Now that some airline operations have resumed, Joyce said she hopes to return home soon.
Actors Sonal Chauhan and Esha Gupta also affected
Actors Sonal Chauhan and Esha Gupta were also among those stranded in the region after flight services were temporarily suspended in parts of the Gulf.
Both actors have since returned safely to India.
Sonal Chauhan shared a message on social media expressing gratitude for the support she received during the difficult period.
She praised Dubai authorities for ensuring safety and maintaining calm during the crisis and emphasised that the experience reinforced people’s confidence in the city’s governance.
Esha Gupta also thanked both the Indian and UAE governments for their coordination in assisting stranded travellers.
Limited flights resume in UAE
Amid the travel disruptions, the United Arab Emirates has begun restoring limited flight services.
Dubai-based airline Emirates confirmed that a small number of flights resumed operations earlier this week, with priority being given to passengers who already had confirmed bookings.
Authorities continue to monitor the regional situation closely as tensions in the Middle East remain high.