Nushrratt Bharuccha Finally Breaks Her Silence And Talks About 'Daunting' Time In Israel, Says 'Woke Up To Sounds Of Bombs'

New Delhi: Bollywood actress Nushrratt Bharuccha, who was reportedly stranded in Israel and lost contact with her team, amidst the ongoing war between Israel and Palestinian terrorist groups, finally landed in Mumbai. The actress has now issued a statement describing her experience and it is heart melting. 

She said, "The last week will forever remain etched in my memory...a rollercoaster ride of emotions, the final 36 hours of which will remain the most unforgettable and daunting of my life... My producer, stylist and I had been flown in to Haifa in Israel, on October 3, to attend the reputed Haifa International Film Festival for the screening of our recent film, Akelli, alongside my Israeli co-actors, Tsahi Halevi and Amir Boutrous. After two days of visiting all of Israel's historic places, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Bahá’í, the Dead Sea, we'd almost ended our trip with a celebratory dinner for the film's cast on Friday night, Oct 6."

@narendramodi @pmoIndia @DrSJaishankar @MEAIndia #SanjeevSingla@IsraeliPM @NaorGilon @indemtel @Kobbishoshani pic.twitter.com/FWe5TMmHnV — Nushrratt Bharuccha (@Nushrratt) October 10, 2023

Further, she added, "That evening, Tsahi, Amir and I had toasted our film's selection at the Haifa Film Fest, promised to visit each other, and possibly work together again. We'd said our goodbyes and were ready to fly back the next day."

"But Saturday morning was nothing like the previous evening's celebration. We were woken up to the deafening sounds of bombs going off, a blaring siren, and complete and utter panic as we were all rushed down into a ‘shelter’ in the basement of our hotel. It was only when we emerged from in there, after what seemed like an endless wait, that we learnt that Israel was under attack. Nothing could have prepared us for this news."

"In a state of complete terror, our first impulse was to somehow reach the Indian Embassy, situated barely 2 km from our hotel, but a distance that seemed impossible to cover without any mode of transport whatsoever and only the dreadful sounds of explosions at very close range. We were then informed that Hamas militants had infiltrated several cities in Israel and were also out now on the roads, pulling civilians out of their homes and shooting people at random. Furthermore, there was open fire on vehicles on the roads and the situation out on the streets was ‘extremely dangerous’. Just then, we heard a second siren go off and were rushed back down into the basement shelter," she added. 

Further, she said, "Soon realisation set in that we may actually not be able to make it to our scheduled flight back to India that night, and would most likely be stuck in a country that was now openly at war. This is when we began making desperate calls to everyone for help out of this unprecedented situation. When we connected with Tsahi, who too had customarily served in the Israeli military, it became clear that Israel was, in fact, in a state of emergency and engaged in a full-blown war. We kept track of official advisories issued by the Indian Government and connected with the Indian and Israeli embassies for details about the escalating situation outside, who were extremely helpful in guiding us."

"As someone who has barely escaped a war zone, I cannot be more grateful today...I'm back home and safe with my family and my loved ones. But with an experience that has made me immensely grateful for the safety and security that we almost take for granted. I am ever so grateful to Government of India, the Indian Embassy and the Israeli Embassy, for their help and guidance in bringing my team and me back safe. I would also like to thank each and every one of my well-wishers from the bottom of my heart for their wishes and prayers for my safety," she concluded. 

A full-scale war broke out between the militant group Hamas and Israel in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, leaving at least 200 people dead. Apart from this, more than 1000 people were injured. According to the Israeli army, Hamas terrorists fired more than 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip and also captured several Israeli soldiers near the border.

On the film front, Nushrratt Bharuccha was recently seen in the film 'Akeli', which was released in theatres in August. Directed by Pranay Meshram, the film depicts the story of a girl caught up in war-torn Iraq, struggling to return home amid the chaos. Ironically, the storyline of the film has become a reality in her life as the actress has been stranded in Israel. 

The 38-year-old will next feature in a horror flick titled 'Chhorii 2', which is the sequel to the 2021 released 'Chhorii'.