Stars of the Indian silver screen are out in force at the 79th Cannes Film Festival, which runs until May 23.
Held annually since 1946, the festival showcases some of the year’s most anticipated films, and awards the prestigious Palme d’Or – widely regarded as one of cinema’s highest honours – to the director of the best feature in competition.
This year, six Indian films are being screened, including Shrimoyee Chakraborty’s Spirit Of The Wildflower, which will have its premiere at the festival, alongside late Malayalam filmmaker John Abraham's 1986 famed film Amma Ariyan, which has been restored in 4K.
Emerging talent is also being recognised, with Shadows of the Moonless Night, a Punjabi short by student filmmaker Mehar Malhotra, selected for La Cinef.
Beyond the screenings and ceremonies, Cannes is equally defined by its red carpet – and this year was no exception.
Indian actress Alia Bhatt is having a busy festival, appearing at three events on opening day alone. For the opening ceremony, she wore a fitted peach Tamara Ralph haute couture gown, paired with a necklace by Amrapali Jewels, featuring rare pink coral and a 5.53-carat Golconda-type diamond.
She later changed into a pale lavender honeycomb lace and organza ball gown by Danielle Frankel for the screening of La Vie D’une Femme (A Woman’s Life).
She paired the dress with a lace and diamond necklace by Malabar Gold and Diamonds, the Kerala-founded jeweller that has become a familiar presence across the UAE, with more than 60 showrooms.
Her day ended at a L’Oreal Paris dinner, where she arrived in a third look by Indian designer Tarun Tahiliani.
Content creator Rida Tharana made her Cannes debut this year, arriving at the screening of La Vie D’une Femme in a strapless custom gown by Indian designer Nikhil Gajare.
The dress features a sculptural quilted ribbon detail rippling around the hips, with a skirt constructed from knotted fabric panels. She completed the look with a lab-grown diamond necklace by Sennes by Senco.
Actress Tara Sutaria also made her Cannes debut, choosing to channel old-school glamour for the occasion.
Wearing a fitted off-the-shoulder dress by Rhea Costa, teamed with long black gloves, dark cat-eye glasses and her hair curled to perfection, she looked every inch the movie star, embodying vintage Hollywood style.
On Sunday, Bollywood actress and L'Oreal ambassador Aditi Rao Hydari made her Cannes return in a neon architectural creation by Lebanese designer Tony Ward.
Hydari, who attended the premiere of Javier Bardem's film El Ser Querido (The Beloved), lit up the red carpet in the body-skimming couture gown, covered in shimmering embellishments – the fitted silhouette flaring gently at the hem into a subtle mermaid shape.
Another Indian star championing Arab design at Cannes is Huma Qureshi, who attended the premiere of Hope on Sunday in a sculptural gown by Saudi designer Eman Alajlan.
Covered in intricate sequinned embellishments, the black dress features a sharply cinched waist and sweeping train, while sheer panelling softens the look. Qureshi accessorised it with glittering diamond jewellery by Ghafari, including statement drop earrings that framed the gown's dramatic neckline without overwhelming it.
Actress Urvashi Rautela also returned to Cannes and has been spotted in several dramatic ensembles, including a sequinned dress with a structured corset-style bodice, heavily decorated with ornate embroidery and gemstone detailing.
The look, by Vietnamese label JoliPoli Couture, features long beaded cape sleeves that drape from the shoulders to the floor, adding drama.
