Bollywood actress Nushrratt Bharuccha has shared her ordeal after returning from Israel, saying that it was a ‘rollercoaster ride of emotions’.

“The last week will forever remain etched in my memory… a rollercoaster ride of emotions, the final 36 hours of which will remain the most unforgettable and daunting of my life…” she said in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Bharuccha was among several people stuck in Israel when Hamas launched a barrage of airstrikes to attend a film festival. In response, Israel retaliated with air strikes on residential complexes and refugee camps. It has blocked the fuel, water, and food supplies to Palestine.

The Pyaar Ka Punchnama actor, along with her producer and stylist, flew to Haifa on October 3 to attend an international film festival for a screening of their recent film Akelli.

Bharuccha recalled how she and her team were woken up by the sound of bombs and sirens on the morning of October 6 and were forced to take shelter in the basement of their hotel.

“We were then informed that Israel was under attack. Nothing could have prepared us for this news,” she wrote. They were initially unable to reach the Indian Embassy due to the lack of transportation and the dangerous conditions on the streets, she added.

She added that the moments followed by the war kept them on their toes and worried.

“With every small postponement announced, we despaired further, our hearts sinking again…surreal is a very weak word to describe how exactly we felt when we were finally airborne.”

She thanked the Indian and Israeli embassies, the staff at her hotel, and the taxi driver who helped her and her team during their difficult time.

“I’m back home and safe with my family and my loved ones,” she said, “but with an experience that has made me immensely grateful for the safety and security that we almost take for granted.”