CANNES, May 23: Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan finally made her appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, walking the red carpet in a sculptural blue gown by designer Amit Aggarwal.
Aishwarya, who has represented L’Oreal Paris at Cannes since 2003 as a global brand ambassador, on Friday greeted waiting photographers with a namaste and posed alongside fellow ambassador and actor Eva Longoria on the red carpet.
The two attended the screening of Palme d’Or contender “The Birthday Party” (Histoires De La Nuit), starring Monica Bellucci.
Her outfit, called Luminara, was a couture piece built around the concept of light in motion, with the design translating light as energy, movement, and force through sculptural construction and engineered craftsmanship.
The actor completed the look with a sheen dupatta, soft loose curls, pink-toned makeup, red lipstick and diamond-studded jewellery with blue stones.
In the evening, Aishwarya changed into a pastel pink gown with floral detailing and a flowing sheer cape by Sophie Couture for the “Lights On Women’s Worth” event, which was also attended by Longoria, Ariana Greenblatt, Amy Jackson and others.
She was accompanied by her 14-year-old daughter Aaradhya Bachchan, who wore a satin red gown with a shimmering cape.
The appearance marked one of Aaradhya’s more prominent turns on an international red carpet, though she has accompanied her mother to Cannes events on previous occasions.
Aishwarya’s arrival at the film and fashion gala came after weeks of speculation that had begun on May 10, when L’Oreal Paris posted a promotional video showing giant campaign visuals being mounted on a hotel facade in Cannes ahead of the festival.
The short clip featured Alia Bhatt, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria and Helen Mirren but not Aishwarya and questions about her absence spread quickly across Instagram and X.
When a follower tagged L’Oreal asking where Aishwarya was, noting that Cannes was the rare occasion many got to see her, the brand replied: “Year after year, Cannes after Cannes, she never misses.”
Aishwarya and Aaradhya left for Cannes on Thursday and were photographed by the paparazzi at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. (Agencies)
