Actor Nushrratt Bharuccha, best known for her roles in Pyar Ka Punchnama and Sonu Ki Titoo Ki Sweety, became the latest entrant to the club of Bollywood actors to partake in what appears as a paid campaign to oppose Israeli action against Hamas terrorists in Rafah, a Palestinian town situated in southeastern Gaza bordering Egypt. Like several other actors, Bharuccha posted an AI-depicted story ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ to stand up against the Israeli offensive in Rafah.
The post comes hours after several celebrities in India, including cricketer Rohit Sharma’s wife Ritika Sajdeh, and others posted ‘All Eyes On Rafah’ Instagram story, the genesis of which appears inorganic and aimed at demonising Israel and building international pressure over the Jewish nation to stop military action against what it terms as among the last remaining battalions of Hamas taking refuge in Rafah.
While it is usual for actors and celebrities in India to monetise their social media activities, what is truly remarkable is the fact that actor Nushrratt Bharuccha threw her weight behind a trend even though she had been a first-hand witness of the atrocities Israelis faced at the hands of their tormentors, Hamas terrorists, on October 7 last year, when the actor was stranded in the Jewish nation.
Bharuccha was stranded in Israel during the October 7 terror attacks by Hamas. She had flown there to attend the Haifa International Film Festival when the attack took place, plunging the country into a state of war as Hamas terrorists from Gaza crossed the border and ran riot in the border villages, killing and maiming people, children, and women in their wake. Over 200 people were taken captive during the attack, with the images of an Israeli woman Shani Louk being paraded by Hamas terrorists becoming the symbol of the tragedy that befell Israel on that fateful day.
During that time, a member of Bharuccha’s team had said, “The last time that I managed to get in touch with Nushrratt Bharuccha was around 12.30 pm earlier today when she was safe in a basement. For safety measures, further details cannot be disclosed. However, since then, we were not able to connect. We are trying to get Nushrratt back safely to India and hope she returns in the best of health and unharmed.”
The actor returned home to Mumbai on October 8, with nervousness and stress writ large on her face as she exited the airport. The actor issued a lengthy statement detailing the hardships she faced during the harrowing 36 hours she spent trapped in a war-torn foreign country and thanked the Israeli embassy and the Government of India for bringing her back home safely.
On Instagram, she issued a statement explaining in detail the ordeal faced by her and many Israelis as Hamas terrorists went on a rampage in an unprecedented attack. “My producer, stylist, and I arrived in Haifa, Israel, on October 3 for the Haifa International Film Festival, where our film ‘Akelli’ was being screened alongside my Israeli co-stars, Tsahi Halevi and Amir Boutrous. After spending two days visiting Israel’s historic sites—Jerusalem, Jaffa, Bahá’, and the Dead Sea—we nearly concluded our trip with a celebratory dinner for the film’s cast on Friday night, October 6. That evening, Tsahi, Amir, and I toasted our film’s selection at the festival, and promised to stay in touch and possibly work together again. We said our goodbyes and were prepared to fly back the next day,” she said.
“But Saturday morning was nothing like the celebration the night before. We were jolted awake by the deafening sounds of bombs exploding, a blaring siren, and utter chaos as we were rushed down to a ‘shelter’ in the hotel basement. After what felt like an endless wait, we emerged to learn that Israel was under attack. Nothing could have prepared us for this news,” she said.
She then added how the entire situation had left them terrified, as they had never experienced anything like it before. “In a state of complete terror, our first impulse was to reach the Indian Embassy, just 2 km from our hotel, but it seemed impossible to cover the distance without transportation, surrounded by the dreadful sounds of explosions. We were informed that Hamas militants had infiltrated several cities in Israel and were now on the roads, pulling civilians from their homes and shooting people at random.”
Bharuccha also thanked the Indian government and the Israeli embassy for facilitating her return to home.
In a lengthy statement, the actor said, “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 the 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.”
