Smriti Irani’s flying blues

Smriti Irani's flying blues

Kunal M Shah

Amidst the Heathrow bomb scare, and subsequent tightening of security at various airports, actor Smriti Irani flew to London to attend the Sky Festival.

Back home in Mumbai, Smriti shares her experience of the tour. "People thought I was mad to visit London amidst the bomb threats. But both the security personnel and the passengers were co-operative. Life goes on and we can't sit idle at home. As I boarded the flight, there was confusion while settling down. To my surprise the flight was packed with passengers," says Smriti.

Recalling the entire security procedure at the Mumbai airport, Smriti further adds, "It was tough, but thankfully, I had warned my entire crew to come prepared. So, things were relatively easy as we towed the line and did not carry any hand baggage or liquid material with us. However instead of one security check, we had to undergo three security checks before we alighted. They also checked our footwear, which they have never done before."

However, it wasn't smooth sailing for Smriti on reaching London. She says, "In the UK, people are not used to such a detailed scrutiny. We had to wait for one hour in the queue before we could head for the security check. They were strict and two of my crew members lost their baggage. There were several such passengers complaining about their lost bags. The security people were creating a great ruckus over passengers carrying anything liquid. Aditya and Afzal from Star India were constantly in touch with us over the phone. Since they had already informed some people back in London about our arrival it smoothened the process and at the end of the day, we all managed fine." But the excessive scrutiny and harrowing airport wait did not dampen the spirit of the festival. "We were all charged up and the show was brilliant. We performed to a packed house. So, I guess it was worth the trouble,"she informs.