WATCH: Lara Dutta’s Tear-Stained Plea From Dubai

‘No civilian deserves to live in fear. No civilian deserves to be caught up in a war which is destabilising the entire region.’

IMAGE: Smoke billows from Jebel Ali port in Dubai after an Iranian attack, March 1, 2026. Photograph: Amr Alfiky/Reuters

Lara Dutta’s emotional message from Dubai

Lara Dutta shared an emotional video message from Dubai, revealing the anxiety and uncertainty she has been faced while being caught in the escalating conflict linked to the war involving Iran and Israel.

In a vlog posted on social media, the actor said she had initially hesitated to speak publicly but decided to share her experience because of the stress and nervousness of living through the tense situation.

‘I don’t like posting things like this because we are constantly bombarded on social media with everyone’s opinion. This is not an opinion but nervous energy and a little bit of stress coming out,’ she said in the video.

Lara explained that she has been in Dubai since the beginning of the Iran-Israel-US war, which escalated after large-scale strikes and counter-attacks across the region on February 28.

The conflict quickly widened beyond the immediate battlegrounds, with missile and drone attacks targeting several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates.

According to UAE authorities, hundreds of projectiles have been launched toward the country since the start of the conflict.

Air defence systems have intercepted the vast majority of them, including about 189 ballistic missiles, more than 900 drones and several cruise missiles.

Most of the interceptions have taken place over major cities including Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with loud explosions often heard as missiles and drones are destroyed in the air. While the majority were neutralised before impact, debris from interceptions has caused damage in some areas, including parts of Dubai, like the Palm Jumeirah vicinity.

Watch Lara’s message here:

‘The windows shake and the house rattles. It is unnerving’

Three people of foreign nationalities have died and dozens have suffered minor injuries since Iran attacked UAE for hosting American bases in their country.

In her vlog, Lara described the tense atmosphere during the early days of the conflict.

She said she was in Dubai shooting for her brand Arias when the situation escalated.

‘When the war broke, I was shooting in Dubai for my brand Arias. At that time, we started hearing explosions over our head. We saw missiles getting intercepted,’ she said.

The actor added that the experience had been stressful, particularly because her daughter, Saira, is with her. at the time.

‘I can’t lie, it has been quite a few stressful days. I have my daughter with me. Mahesh was out on work so thankfully, he was not in Dubai,’ she said, referring to her husband tennis legend Mahesh Bhupathi.

Lara described hearing fighter jets flying overhead and loud booms as air defence systems intercepted missiles and drones.

‘The windows shake and the house rattles. It is unnerving,’ she said, adding that despite the tension she has not felt unsafe.

She also praised the UAE authorities for their handling of the situation.

‘No civilian deserves to live in fear’

‘I can say the UAE government has done a wonderful job. We feel looked after, protected and wanted regardless of our nationality. We feel like we count and we matter,’ Lara said.

She expressed admiration for essential workers, who continue to function to ease daily life despite the tense situation.

‘I am amazed my gardener still shows up to work and the delivery riders are working. You can still order food and essentials. They are keeping this country running,’ she said.

With flights operating only on a limited basis due to regional airspace restrictions, Lara said she has been trying to secure seats to return home to Mumbai.

‘We are looking at flights and there are not too many. There are some flights from airlines like Emirates and Etihad, and we are trying to get back to Mumbai,’ she said.

She added that while adults try to remain calm, children are particularly anxious about the situation.

‘Kids get more nervous about these things, so we try to keep it together for them,’ she said.

Ending her message with a broader reflection on the human cost of conflict, Dutta said civilians should never have to live in fear because of war.

‘No civilian deserves to live in fear. No civilian deserves to be caught up in a war which is destabilising the entire region,’ she said, expressing hope that calm and better judgment would eventually prevail.

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Photograph curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff