- By Sidhi Agarwall
- Mon, 08 Sep 2025 04:57 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Malayalam actress Navya Nair has been making headlines after an unusual incident at Melbourne Airport in Australia. The actress was fined AUD 1,980 (Rs 1.14 lakh) for carrying a jasmine gajra, which she had brought along while travelling to take part in the Onam celebrations organised by the Malayali Association of Victoria. The fine came as a shock to many, and since then, people have been curious to know more about Navya Nair, her career, and how this incident unfolded.
Speaking about the incident at Melbourne Airport, Navya herself explained how the fine came about. 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 was quoted as saying in several media reports. She further admitted, “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 was quoted in media reports. Although the incident was unintentional, Australian airport authorities treated it as a biosecurity violation, which explains the hefty fine.
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Who Is Navya Nair?
Navya Nair is a popular name in Malayalam cinema and has also appeared in a few Tamil and Kannada films. She was born as Dhanya in Muthukulam, a village near Haripad in Alappuzha, Kerala, to Raju, who worked in telecom, and Veena, a school teacher. Notably, Malayalam director K. Madhu is her maternal uncle. From a young age, Navya excelled both academically and artistically. She trained in classical dance and went on to win the prestigious Kalathilakam title at the Alappuzha District School Youth Festival while studying at Bethany Balikamadam Girls High School, Haripad. Later, she pursued a Bachelor’s degree in English.
Meanwhile, her entry into films came in 2001 when she made her debut in Ishtam, directed by Sibi Malayil, starring opposite Dileep. The film was a commercial success and her performance was widely praised. She soon followed this with back-to-back hits like Mazhathullikkilukkam (2002) and Kunjikoonan (2002), cementing her place in the industry. After her marriage to Santhosh Menon, a Mumbai-based Malayali, on 21st January 2010, Navya took a step back from films to focus on family life. The couple welcomed their son, Sai Krishna, in the same year. She later shifted towards television, appearing on shows and currently serves as one of the judges on the reality programme Kidilam, alongside Mukesh and Rimi Tomy.
On the other hand, in 2021, Navya made a strong comeback to films with Drishya 2, reprising her role as Seetha. The movie was both a critical and commercial success. Following this, in 2022, she played Radhamani in Oruthee, directed by V. K. Prakash. Her portrayal of a boat ticket conductor struggling with societal and family pressures was highly appreciated.
