Aishwarya Rai Finally Takes Over Cannes Red Carpet In A Stunning Blue Amit Aggarwal Gown

Aishwarya Rai's much-awaited first look from the 2026 Cannes Film Festival is out. Since the film festival commenced on May 12, fans were missing the Ponniyin Selvan star, who will be gracing the gala for the 24th time. With Aishwarya Rai's poster missing from L'Oreal's branding at Hotel Martinez, several admirers raised concerns about the superstar not being "included" in this year's edition.

But the Queen of Cannes put all rumours to rest when she flew out of Mumbai with her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan.

Aishwarya Rai's First Look From Cannes

Aishwarya Rai walked on the red carpet in a sculpted blue gown with a mermaid finish designed by Amit Aggarwal, who made his Cannes debut this year. She completed her look with a sheen dupatta.

According to the press release, Amit Aggarwal designed Luminara, a couture creation centred around the idea of light in motion, for this year's appearance. The piece explores light not simply as illumination, but as energy, movement, and force; translated through sculptural construction and engineered craftsmanship.

"Aishwarya has always approached Cannes with a strong sense of individuality and evolution. With Luminara, Mohit and I wanted to create something that felt less like a garment and more like an energy field around her. The piece explores the idea of light as strength, movement, and transformation; while honouring the extraordinary radiance she has carried through decades on the global stage," says the designer.

Aishwarya Rai walked on the Cannes 2026 red carpet in an Amit Aggarwal couture. Photo: AFP

To finish the look, Aishwarya Rai wore her hair in soft, loose curls and opted for pink-toned cheeks and eyeshadow for makeup. Red lipstick and diamond-studded jewellery adorned with striking blue stones elevated the ensemble.

She blew kisses, greeted the waiting paparazzi with a namaste, made finger hearts, and posed on the red carpet with Eva Longoria, her longtime friend and fellow L'Oreal global brand ambassador. They attended the screening of Palme d'Or contender The Birthday Party (Histoires De La Nuit) starring Monica Bellucci.

For Indians, Aishwarya Rai Is Synonymous With Cannes

Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan debuted at Cannes in May 2002 to present their film, Devdas, at the prestigious film festival. Wearing Neeta Lulla's canary yellow saree, she walked the red carpet with her co-star and director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

The actor's association with L'Oreal Paris goes back to 2003, and since then, she has been walking the Cannes red carpet as the brand's global ambassador.

When the brand first dropped posters to hype up this year's film festival, the absence of Aishwarya was not taken lightly on social media, leading to a massive backlash. Responding to the comments, the team called her "timeless and completely herself",

Apart from her debut, Aishwarya Rai has delivered many memorable red carpet moments. In 2007, after marrying frequent co-star Abhishek Bachchan, she walked the red carpet with him, wearing a Giorgio Armani gown. In 2014, she wore Cavalli and completed the look with bold red lips.

Marking her 15 years at the Cannes red carpet, she stunned in a Cinderella-inspired gown by Michael Cinco and a full-skirted Ralph & Russo creation featuring ruffles.

For long rumours were rife about the alleged separation between Aishwarya and Abhishek, and the couple never made a fuss about what trolls had to say about their relationship. But in 2025, the Guzaarish actor shut down speculation by making a statement in an ivory Manish Malhotra saree while sporting sindoor. A section of fans believed it was Aishwarya Rai's hat-tip to Operation Sindoor.

With over two decades at Cannes, Aishwarya Rai remains one of India's most enduring global icons.

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