The 79th Cannes Film Festival is currently underway on the French Riviera (May 12–23), with India marking a strong and record presence at the global event.
Alia Bhatt has returned to the red carpet for a second consecutive year as a global ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, joining long-time Cannes regular Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who continues her decades-long association with the festival. However, Rai Bachchan’s noticeable absence from the brand’s latest promotional campaign ahead of the festival had left fans surprised and disappointed, despite her consistent presence at Cannes for over 20 years since becoming L’Oréal Paris ambassador in 2004.
This year also highlights wider regional representation from India. Punjabi cinema makes a notable debut with actor-singer Ammy Virk and Roopi Gill attending for Chardikala, while Tara Sutaria appears at Cannes for the first time ahead of her film Toxic. Filmmaker Karan Johar is also part of the Indian contingent.
The official Indian delegation is led by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker, recently appointed director of the International Film
Festival of India (IFFI). The festival is also showcasing regional cinema, with Marathi veterans Ashok Saraf and Nivedita Saraf attending in traditional attire, alongside Gujarati cinema representation by actor- producer Manasi Parekh.
From the Malayalam industry, Manjummel Boys director Chidambaram is presenting his new project Balan: The Boy, underlining the growing global reach of Indian regional cinema at Cannes this year.