&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "They thought she wasn't coming! Aishwarya Rai reclaims her Cannes throne in a jaw-dropping blue gown")
It’s a moment that fans have been eagerly waiting for. Aishwarya Rai made her much-awaited appearance at the Cannes Film Festival 2026 red carpet on Friday night and left everyone awestruck in an elaborate sculpted blue gown. Aishwarya’s appearance at Cannes 2026 has been speculated for long, and many even wondered if the actress would skip the event after her poster was not included in L’Oreal’s branding at Hotel Martinez at the beginning of the festival.
However, the star put all rumours and speculations to rest on Thursday night as she flew out of Mumbai airport with daughter Aaradhya Bachchan.
Aishwarya Rai’s much-awaited first look at Cannes 2026
Aishwarya Rai walked on the red carpet in a sculpted blue gown with a mermaid finish. The outfit was designed by Amit Aggarwal, who made his Cannes debut this year. She completed her look with a sheen dupatta/stole- a common accessory for Indian beauties at Cannes this year.
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.
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Aishwarya Rai at Cannes Photograph: (AFP)
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Eva Longoria and AIshwarya Rai at Cannes Photograph: (AFP)
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Aishwarya did a namaste on the red carpet Photograph: (AFP)
"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," said the designer in a statement.
Aishwarya completed her look with loose curls and red lips. 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. The two beauties attended the screening of Palme d'Or contender The Birthday Party (Histoires De La Nuit) starring Monica Bellucci.
Aishwarya's long association with Cannes Film Festival
Aishwarya Rai made her first appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 for the premiere of Devdas, alongside Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali. A year later, she returned to the festival as a global ambassador for L'Oreal Paris. Since then, she has appeared on the Cannes red carpet every year without fail.
