Cannes 2023: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan on the red carpet. (Image courtesy: Getty)
Is it even Cannes Film Festival without OG Aishwarya Rai Bachchan slaying on the red carpet? The Cannes veteran went big and bold for her first red carpet appearance of the season. Aishwarya, who is one of the most popular celebrities at the film estival, walked the red carpet at the screening of Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny on Thursday night. The actress was dressed in an outfit completely out of her comfort zone - a black gown with a giant silver hood that extended into a train. Aishwarya finished her look with her signature crimson lips.
Two gentlemen accompanied Aishwarya down the red carpet to adjust her train as she posed for the cameras. "Not supposed to comment on the outfits but Aishwarya's is very striking," announced the red carpet compere on the official live stream.
Incredible as it may sound, this is Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's 21st year at the Cannes Film Festival. Ash has been serving looks on the world's most glamorous red carpets since 2002 when she attended with her Devdas co-star Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The next year, she was on the Cannes and jury and subsequently became one of L'Oreal's biggest faces on the Croisette.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been accompanied to Cannes by daughter Aaradhya, 11, who is a French Riviera veteran herself - she's been her mother's travel buddy since she was a baby. Aishwarya and Aaradhya were filmed flying out of Mumbai airport early morning on Wednesday - Aishwarya posed for pictures with fans before entering the airport.
Aishwarya is pretty much the only Indian celebrity this year to be an old Cannes hand. The rest of the Indian contingent are mostly making their debuts at the film festival, among them Anushka Sharma, Sara Ali Khan, Aditi Rao Hydari, Mrunal Thakur, Sunny Leone, Esha Gupta and Manushi Chhillar. Sunny stars in Anurag Kashyap's film Kennedy which will be screened at Cannes.
Back to Aishwarya - the actress was recently seen in the acclaimed Ponniyin Selvan 2, the conclusion of Mani Ratnam's two-part epic drama on the Chola kingdom.