Why Navya Nair was fined in Australia
Malayalam actor Navya Nair landed a hefty A$1,980 (about ₹1.14 lakh) fine at Melbourne Airport after customs found a jasmine garland in her bag.
She was flying in for Onam celebrations and didn't realize Australia's strict biosecurity laws ban undeclared plant materials—even something as small as a flower string.
What did Navya say about the incident?
Navya shared that her dad had given her the jasmine garland before she left Kochi, and she wore it all the way to Singapore before tucking it into her bag for Australia.
She honestly didn't know that could get her into trouble, but Australia's rules are tough to protect local plants and wildlife from pests.
Her 'flower' joke at an event
Owning up to the mistake, Navya addressed an audience at an Onam event in Melbourne, stating that "ignorance is no excuse" and joked she ended up "wearing flowers worth more than a lakh rupees."
Her experience is a friendly heads-up: always check travel rules about what you can carry—because even sentimental gifts can come with an expensive surprise.