The 2026 Cannes Film Festival will have a strong Indian presence this year Alia Bhatt, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and other Indian stars were expected to attend the French festival.Alia was spotted at the Mumbai airport in the early hours of Monday morning as she left for Cannes. The actress, who is attending the festival as the face of an international beauty brand, kept her travel look stylish in a black coat layered over a white T-shirt, paired with denims and boots.Alia Bhatt goes to Cannes
Cannes gets ready to welcome Alia Bhatt
Adding to the excitement, videos circulating online from Cannes showed large banners of Alia being erected on buildings ahead of the festival. The actress will join a line-up of international celebrities including Eva Longoria, Jane Fonda and Viola Davis, among other stars.Speaking about her return to Cannes, Alia described it as an “incredibly special” experience. In a statement, the actress said: “Last year was an unforgettable experience, and I’m really excited for what feels like an even bigger celebration this year. There’s a beautiful energy here, a celebration of sisterhood and female voices, and it’s a privilege to be a part of this journey with a brand that so strongly champions the value and empowerment of women.”
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to go to Cannes with several Indian stars
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will once again attend the festival as the beauty brand’s global ambassador, continuing her long association with Cannes.Held in France from May 12 to May 23, the festival is expected to showcase India’s diverse representation across the film industry and creative sectors. Film maker Karan Johar and actors Tara Sutaria, Mouni Roy and Pooja Batra are also expected to attend the event.Punjabi cinema will also mark their presence as Ammy Virk will attend Cannes for the first time. On the other hand, renowned filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker will represent India as part of the country’s official delegation as the director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).Regional cinema from across the country is also expected to make its presence felt at Cannes this year. Marathi cinema will be represented by veteran actors Ashok Saraf and Nivedita Saraf, along with actor Prajakta Mali and producer Kedar Joshi. Gujarati cinema, on the other hand, will be represented by actor-producer Mansi Parekh and singer-producer Parthiv Gohil.
