Malayalam actress Navya Nair was fined AUD 1,980 (approximately Rs 1.14 lakh) at Melbourne International Airport for carrying a jasmine gajra without declaring it to Australian customs.
The incident occurred during her recent trip to Australia to participate in the Onam celebrations organised by the Malayali Association of Victoria.
What's Happening
- Navya, who has acted in films such as Janaki Jaane (2023), Oruthee (2022), and Nandanam (2002), explained that the fine was imposed because parts of plants and flowers are included in the list of items that must be declared.
- In a conversation with HTCity, she said, "I was kind of shocked. It's a significant penalty. The thing is that I was not carrying flowers in my bag. The flowers were on my hair, so it was nothing hidden but I didn't declare it because I missed it out. They mentioned parts of plants and flowers are included that. The sniffer dogs sniffed it because I had kept the flowers in my bag in the beginning of my travel."
- Navya revealed that her father had bought the jasmine for her before the trip. She said, "Before I came here, it was my father who bought jasmine for me. He cut it into two parts and gave it to me. He asked me to wear one in my hair from Kochi to Singapore, since it would wither by the time I reached. He told me to keep the second one in my handbag so I could wear it on the onward journey from Singapore. I put it in my carry bag."
- She further added, "What I did was against the law. It was a mistake I made unknowingly. However, ignorance is no excuse. For bringing a 15 cm jasmine string, officials asked me to pay a fine of AUD 1,980 (Rs 1.14 lakh). A mistake is a mistake, though it was not intentional. They told me the fine must be paid within 28 days."
- Navya has now written to the Australian agricultural department requesting that the fine be waived, explaining that it was an unintentional oversight.
- She said, "I have 28 days time for payment. They also told me that I can send a mail telling all these details to the agriculture department. So, I have just send them a mail that night itself. I am just waiting for a reply. I have asked them to waive off the amount and if they don't waive off then I had read it in many articles that they charge 300 dollars and they charged AUD 1980 and it is written 6 units, so I don't know what it is. As a foreigner I had no idea."
Background
Navya Nair also expressed her frustration, but also acknowledged that rules must be followed. "It's the law of a country, and I have to abide by it. I have no other option. I requested them and tried to tell them that it was not intentional. On a humanitarian aspect they can simply take the flowers and keep it there. They could have let me go because I didn't have any intention but I think it depends on the officers so I cannot comment on that," she added.
Navya shared that the process at the airport was time-consuming. She shared, "It took me quite a lot of time to go through the process and exit the airport to enter Melbourne, where I had gone to attend Onam celebrations hosted by Malayali Association of Victoria."
She hopes that others will learn from her experience. "My issue has become very popular with all the Malayalis, so they will be more alert in doing things. These rules are quite strict and very rigid. So it's not very easy," she said.
She also pointed out how easily such rules can be overlooked, especially by travelers unfamiliar with them, adding, "The declaration form is a 'very small paper', which can be easily missed by travellers."
Who Is Navya Nair?
Navya Nair, a two-time Kerala State Film Award winner, began her acting career in 2001 with Ishtam and has since delivered memorable performances in Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada films such as Nandanam, Mazhathullikkilukkam, Kunjikoonan, Kalyanaraman, Vellithira, Ammakilikkoodu, Gramophone, Pattanathil Sundaran, Jalolsavam, Chathikkatha Chanthu, Azhagiya Theeye, Pandippada, Saira and Kanne Madanguka.
