India celebrated in Cannes as first ‘Country of Honour’ at the festival

The nation’s cinema will be honoured with a programme of screenings, premieres and red carpet events during the event

Cannes favourite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returned to the festival as a L'Oreal ambassador. India is being celebrated this year as 'Country of Honour' at the 2022 Cannes Film Market. EPA

Actress Pooja Hegde on the opening day of Marche du Film (Film Market). Reuters

Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman on the Croisette as India is the 'Country of Honour' at Marche du Film (Film Market). Reuters

Director Rasika Agashe. Reuters

Pooja Hegde attends the Marche du Film opening party. Getty Images

Actress Tamannaah Bhatia at the Marche du Film opening party. Getty Images

Tamannaah Bhatia also attended the screening of 'Top Gun: Maverick'. AFP

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Eva Longoria at the screening of 'Top Gun: Maverick'. Getty Images

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wore a Dolce & Gabbana gown for the event. AFP

Pooja Hegde at the 'Top Gun: Maverick' premiere. AFP

Hegde is attending the festival as a member of the Indian delegation this year. Getty Images

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 17: Shekhar Kapur, Nwazuddin Siddiqui, Anurag Thakur, Prasoon Joshi, R. Madhavan, Vani Tripathi and Ricky Kej attend the screening of "Final Cut (Coupez!)" and opening ceremony red carpet for the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 17, 2022 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole / Getty Images)

Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival. Getty Images

Rautela wore a dress by Lebanese designer Tony Ward for the event. AFP

Beauty blogger Malvika Sitlani at the screening of 'Top Gun: Maverick'. Getty Images

Pooja Hegde during an interview at the festival. Reuters

Pooja Hegde being prepped for a photo shoot. AFP

Pooja Hegde attending a portrait session on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival. AFP

R Madhavan's directorial debut 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect' will have its world premiere at the festival. AP

Madhavan also stars in his directorial debut 'Rocketry: The Nambi Effect'. AP

Some of the biggest Indian stars will be making their way to La Croisette over the next few days as India celebrates being named the “Country of Honour” at the 2022 Cannes Film Market.

The market, the business counterpart of the Cannes Film Festival and one of the biggest of its kind in the world, opened on Wednesday and will welcome stars, producers, filmmakers and delegates from India to walk the red carpet and enjoy an array of screenings and first looks throughout the festival.

"I feel really proud to be here as an Indian and to be representing the country," said Deepika Padukone at the opening of the Indian pavilion. "But when we look back at 75 Years of Cannes, I have said earlier also that there have been only a handful of Indian films and Indian talent that have been able to make it and I feel like collectively as a nation today we have it."

Jury member Deepika Padukone in an all-black ensemble at an event in Cannes. Photo: Instagram / deepikapadukone

Jury member Deepika Padukone at the premiere of 'Armageddon Time' on the third day of the Cannes Film Festival. AP

Jury member Deepika Padukone during a photocall of the on the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival. EPA

Padukone with British actress Rebecca Hall and Italian actress Jasmine Trinca on the balcony of the Martinez Hotel. EPA

Cannes Film Festival jury members from left to right: French director Ladj Ly; French actor and president of the jury Vincent Lindon; US film director Jeff Nichols; Iranian director Asghar Farhadi; Indian actress Deepika Padukone; British actress Rebecca Hall; Italian actress Jasmine Trinca; and Norwegian film director Joachim Trier on the eve of the opening ceremony. AFP

Deepika Padukone arriving at the Hotel Martinez dressed in Louis Vuitton. Reuters

(L-R) Jury members Indian actress Deepika Padukone, British actress Rebecca Hall, Italian actress Jasmine Trinca, and Norwegian film director Joachim Trier pose on the balcony of the Martinez Hotel ahead of the 75th annual Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, 16 May 2022. The festival runs from 17 to 28 May. EPA / GUILLAUME HORCAJUELO

Padukone wore a printed silk shirt and pleated wool trousers from Sabyasachi's Tropic of Calcutta collection, and finished her look with a statement necklace made up of multicoloured gemstones and uncut diamonds by the designer. Getty Images

Deepika Padukone leaves the Festival Palace after attending a photocall and a press conference during the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. AFP

Deepika Padukone at the screening of 'Final Cut (Coupez!)' on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival. Getty Images

For the Cannes opening night red carpet, Padukone wore a Sabyasachi couture sari, a black and gold sequin-striped piece, which is part of the designer's Aakash Tara collection. Getty Images

Designer Sabyasachi said Deepika's sari 'celebrates heritage Indian crafts and techniques through a modern lens'. AP

Jury members Rebecca Hall and Deepika Padukone at the screening of 'Final Cut (Coupez!)' on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival. Getty Images

Padukone wore a custom made Louis Vuitton gown at the screening of 'Armageddon Time', which stars Anne Hathaway, Anthony Hopkins and Jeremy Strong. AFP

Padukone paired her Louis Vuitton dress with statement necklace by Cartier. Getty Images

Padukone with jury president, actor Vincent Lindon on the red carpet. Getty Images

Deepika Padukone attended a Louis Vuitton dinner in Cannes dressed in a jacket dress paired with knee-high boots by the brand. Photo: Instagram / deepikapadukone

Deepika Padukone in an all-black ensemble and Cartier jewellery at an event in Cannes. Photo: Instagram / deepikapadukone

Padukone at the screening of South Korean film 'Decision to Leave' on May 23. EPA

The black custom Louis Vuitton dress was adorned with shimmering tassels and featured a floor-sweeping train. EPA

Padukone paired her dress with minimalist accessories, wearing a pair of earrings by Cartier, finishing off the look with black strappy stilettos. Getty Images

Padukone at the screening of 'The Innocent' on May 24. Getty Images

The Bollywood star collaborated again with Lebanese designer Mohammed Ashi's label Ashi Studio wearing a striking orange strapless taffeta gown. Getty Images

The custom dress with drape details around the shoulder fit the star 'like a glove', Ashi Studio said. Getty Images

On May 24, Padukone also attended the Cannes 75 anniversary dinner, again wearing a dress by Ashi Studio. Getty Images

The white suit, with dramatic balloon sleeves, was signature Ashi Studio, a label known for its architectural designs. Getty Images

Padukone at the screening of the film 'Elvis' on May 25. AFP

For the 'Elvis' premiere, Padukone wore a dress from Louis Vuitton's cruise 2023 collection, featuring a giant bolero filled with tinsel. Getty Images

Padukone in a flowery Richard Quinn dress on the street in Cannes. Photo: Instagram / shaleenanathani

Padukone attends the closing ceremony in a white sari by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Getty Images

French actor and President of the Jury of the 75th Cannes Film Festival Vincent Lindon, fourth right, arrives with, from left, French director Ladj Ly, Norwegian film director Joachim Trier, US film director Jeff Nichols, British actress Rebecca Hall, Swedish actress Noomi Rapace, Italian actress Jasmine Trinca, Indian actress Deepika Padukone and Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi for the closing ceremony of the 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. AFP

Padukone wraps up her Cannes jury experience. AFP

Bollywood actress Padukone, who's been attending the festival for more than 10 years as a L'Oreal ambassador, serves for the first time as member of the jury this year.

The ceremony was attended by Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman, Oscar-nominated director Shekhar Kapur as well as actor R Madhavan, whose directorial debut Rocketry: The Nambi Effect, will have its world premiere at the festival.

World premiere of R Madhavan’s ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’

“It is the first time the Marche du Film has an official Country of Honour, and this special focus will continue annually with different nations in the spotlight at future editions,” said Indian Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur.

One of the highlights is the premiere of R Madhavan’s Rocketry: The Nambi Effect. The actor is in the titular role and directs the film, which is based on the life of Nambi Narayanan, a former scientist and aerospace engineer at the Indian Space Research Organisation, who was falsely accused of espionage.

Indian filmmakers will also be given a boost as the country was invited to pitch five films in the Goes to Cannes showcase. Baghjan by Jaicheng Zxai Dohutia, Bailadila from Shailendra Sahu, Ek Jagah Apni by Ektara Collective, Follower by Harshad Nalawade, and Shivamma by Jai Shankar were all chosen to be presented.

Big names and classic films

Director Shekhar Kapur, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Indian minister Anurag Thakur, musician Prasoon Joshi, actor R Madhavan, politician Vani Tripathi and musician Ricky Kej on the opening night of the Cannes Film Festival. Getty Images

Big names in Bollywood will be on the famous red carpet. Actress Pooja Hegde attended the opening of the Marche du Film on Wednesday, and was later also seen on the red carpet for the screening of Top Gun: Maverick. Another festival favourite, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, returned as a L'Oreal ambassador, and TV star Helly Shah was also spotted as a guest of L’Oreal, and to promote her debut film, Kaya Palat.

Grammy-winner Ricky Kej, and stars including Aditi Rao Hydari, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Tamannaah Bhatia will also be in attendance. Akshay Kumar was supposed to be at the pavilion inauguration, but was forced to bow out after contracting Covid-19. He sent a tweet of support.

Marche du Film will also honour the centenary of filmmaker Satyajit Ray with a remastered screening of his classic Pratidwandi for the Cannes Classic section, Cinema de la plage.

“When you are a country of honour at the world’s largest film market, you are on the radar of the western world,” said Indian filmmaker Samir Sarkar. “As far as our creativity and international appeal goes, it’s time we nurture and support those filmmakers that can take Indian cinema into something more meaningful and successful for world audiences.”