Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has long been an integral part of the Cannes Film Festival in France. Every year, Indian audiences wait with bated breath to watch the former Miss World make a statement on the prestigious red carpet.
Her Cannes journey began in 2002, when she attended the festival for the screening of Devdas alongside Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The following year, she returned as an official jury member. In 2003, she was also announced as a global ambassador for L`Oréal Paris and has since represented the brand at the festival for over two decades.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to skip Cannes?
As L`Oréal Paris serves as the official makeup partner of Cannes, its ambassadors traditionally walk the red carpet every year. However, this year, speculation is rife that Aishwarya may skip the event.
The rumours began after the actress was noticeably absent from the latest promotional posters shared by L`Oréal, featuring the brand’s ambassadors. The campaign included Alia Bhatt, who joined the brand recently, but Aishwarya’s absence quickly caught fans’ attention. Several admirers took to the comments section to express their disappointment and question the omission.
The brand is set to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the Lights On Women’s Worth Award. Amid celebrities heading to Cannes and preparations underway for the festival, L`Oréal shared a promotional video featuring posters of ambassadors including Alia Bhatt, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria, and Helen Mirren displayed outside Hotel Martinez, a popular destination for global celebrities during the festival.
The caption read: “And… action! The most iconic facade in Cannes is getting its festival look. @martinezhotel is officially dressed in L`Oréal Paris.”
Fans were quick to notice Aishwarya’s absence. One user asked, “Where is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan?”
Another wrote, “New faces may come, but you can`t replace the OG Aishwarya. Even you know her worth.”
A third fan pointed out that Aishwarya has been associated with the brand for over 20 years and played a major role in popularising it in India.
Alia Bhatt heads to Cannes
As excitement builds around the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Alia Bhatt gave fans a stylish glimpse of her journey to the French Riviera through an Instagram story shared while travelling.
In the post, Bhatt was seen seated inside an aircraft, sporting a relaxed yet polished travel look. She wore a pink baseball cap embroidered with the phrase “tinted and unbothered” while holding a lip product from L`Oréal Paris, highlighting her association with the global beauty giant.
Adding a playful touch, she captioned the story “stain alive,” a witty nod to the classic Stayin` Alive by the Bee Gees, which also played in the background.
Bhatt was spotted at Mumbai airport late Sunday as she departed for France. The actress is returning to Cannes for the second consecutive year as a global ambassador for L`Oréal Paris after making her debut at the festival last year.
The 2026 Cannes Film Festival is scheduled to take place from May 12 to May 23, with several global stars expected to grace the red carpet.