It seems the curse of jasmine flowers continues to haunt Malayalees. After trying to ruin this Onam season for Keralites by seldom leaving Janhvi Kapoor’s head in the widely criticised Param Sundari, a gajra of jasmine flowers has resulted in beloved Malayalam actor Navya Nair losing over Rs 1 lakh. While women sporting gajras is a common sight in South India, particularly during festival seasons, she recently learned a costly lesson: this isn’t the norm everywhere else in the world, especially in Australia.

During her recent trip to Australia to participate in the Onam celebrations organised by the Malayali Association of Victoria, Navya was stopped at the Melbourne International Airport and fined over Rs 1 lakh for carrying a jasmine gajra that was 15 cm long. “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,” Navya shared during a public event.

“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,” she added. Navya, however, took the incident as a lighthearted learning experience. Sharing on Instagram a video collage of herself in this attire with the jasmine gajra, the actor sarcastically wrote, “A show-off right before paying the fine.”

Before her journey to Melbourne, Navya Nair had shared a carousel post featuring photos of herself in the same look, sitting inside her flight. “First-ever Thiruvonam in the skies! Though I miss being in naadu, carrying the spirit of Onam with me is a joy of its own. Work calls — and that too is another happiness. Onboard Singapore Airlines… Melbourne, here I come,” she wrote while extending her Onam wishes to all.

Watch SCREEN’s exclusive interview with Sudev Nair here:

A two-time recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for Best Actress, Navya Nair made her acting debut in Sibi Malayil’s Ishtam (2001). She has since delivered notable performances in movies like Nandanam, Mazhathullikkilukkam, Kunjikoonan, Kalyanaraman, Vellithira, Ammakilikkoodu, Gramophone, Pattanathil Sundaran, Jalolsavam, Chathikkatha Chanthu, Azhagiya Theeye, Pandippada, Saira, Kanne Madanguka, Sila Nerangalil, Bhagyada Balegara, Drishya, Drishya 2, Oruthee and Janaki Jaane, across Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada languages.