Bollywood actor Malaika Arora’s 72-year-old mother, Joyce Arora, is currently stranded in Dubai after her scheduled return flight to Mumbai was cancelled amid escalating tensions across parts of the Middle East. The disruption follows Iran’s reported retaliatory attacks on several US allies in the region — including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia — after American and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory on February 28. The situation has led to temporary suspension and rescheduling of multiple flight operations across the region.

Joyce had travelled to Dubai to celebrate her elder sister’s birthday. A few days later, her own birthday, which falls on March 2, was also marked with family. 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.

Speaking to ETimes, Joyce said, “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 added that her daughters, Malaika and Amrita Arora, are in Mumbai and are in constant touch with her, calling several times a day to check on her well-being. With some flight operations gradually resuming, Joyce has expressed hope that she will be able to return home soon.

Joyce is not the only Indian celebrity affected by the travel disruptions. Actor Esha Gupta was also stranded in Dubai during the escalation but returned to India on March 3. Meanwhile, former beauty queen and actor Lara Dutta recently shared a detailed video on social media describing the tense atmosphere in the city amid the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict 2026.

In her video, Lara revealed that she has been in Dubai since the start of the conflict and was shooting at a studio on February 28 when the situation intensified. She mentioned witnessing explosions and missile interceptions, while also expressing gratitude towards the UAE authorities for ensuring residents felt protected. Lara is currently in Dubai with her daughter, while her husband, former tennis champion Mahesh Bhupathi, has been travelling for work.

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