The return of the prodigal son

Designer Prasad Bidappa breaks his silence on what really happened in Dubai.

Bangalore's fashion guru Prasad Bidappa is free and back in Bangalore, after being arrested for marijuana possession in Dubai. Gautam Raja talks to him and also gets a sample of reactions in his home town.

Prasad Bidappa is home. It couldn't possibly be missed because he's been all over the local newspapers.

He has told us how he had Chinese take-away with his family on his first night back, how he had a man-to-man talk with his son Adam, how he taught other inmates of the detention centre to walk the ramp and inspired them to exercise every morning, how he plans to help jail inmates in Bangalore.

After this flood, Tabloid expected him to be tired and reticent when we got him on the phone, but he was chatty and relaxed and more than happy to talk some more about his experience.

• The return of the prodigal son
• Reactions on Bidappa ordeal

• Diplomatic efforts 'got me free'
• Indian designer Bidappa freed

Caught unawares

"I was in Kolkata for a show and there was a gathering in my hotel room. One of the local boys brought some stuff with him. The next morning the helper just packed everything away — the room was in a mess and there was a whole lot of stuff lying around. He must have pushed in the packet as well."

"Then I came back to Bangalore and the bag went for repair. I needed a bigger bag to come to Dubai so I just used that one. There was no reason to search the bag, as this kind of thing has never happened and I just didn't expect to have anything on me."

Bidappa says that the one-by-half-inch packet in a side pocket of his bag was almost missed by Dubai customs.

"It was all fine at customs, in fact we were laughing and chatting. I was asking them what they were looking for; they were even looking through my shaving kit."

"They told me they were searching for prescription medicines. They told me to go and then he said ‘one minute come back' and he went through the side pocket. There was a packet in there. I was surprised because I didn't expect to see anything there."

Whatever the manner of the packet's arrival there, Bidappa's reaction at this point can easily be imagined. He has travelled to Dubai many times before and knows the score.

"I am well aware of the rules. In fact, I always take out any medication even aspirin, dispirin, that sort of thing. I often carry cough medicines abroad – you know how it is in air-conditioning – but I take them out for Dubai."

So will the experience make Bidappa stay away? "Not at all. It was so civilised – super-civilised. The world has a lesson to learn from the way Dubai treats its prisoners. Of course I can't say I was a prisoner because I wasn't in prison, just a detention centre."

"I love coming to Dubai. It has a great energy and there's so much coming up there. I have many good friends in Dubai and we always have a great time."