Cannes 2025: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan dazzles at the red carpet with a powerful statement on Indian heritage

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan continued to wow crowds at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, making a strong fashion statement on Thursday for her second red carpet event: the premiere of La Venue de L'avenir (Colors of Time). The Bollywood legend wore a bespoke Gaurav Gupta gown that eloquently blended high fashion with rich Indian symbolism to premiere La Venue de L'avenir (Colors of Time).

Titled Heiress of Calm by the designer, the ensemble consisted of a dramatic black corseted floor-length gown, which was beautifully hand-embroidered with an abstract representation of the universe. Shards of silver, gold charcoal and black, edged with micro glass crystals, provided depth and radiance to pattern.

The real showstopper in Aishwarya's look was the Banarasi brocade cape, though. Hand-knotted in Varanasi India, the sophisticated silver cape was written with a Sanskrit shloka from the Bhagavad Gita, “Karmanye vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana, Ma Karmaphalaheturbhurma Te Sangostvakarmani.” This deep verse means: You have a right to perform your actions, but not to the fruits of those actions. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.” The shloka was tastefully positioned at the nape of her neck, providing a spiritual and earthy feel to her glamorous appearance.

This sighting also reinforced Aishwarya’s commitment to her Indian roots at this year’s festival. Her initial red carpet appearance, an ivory Manish Malhotra saree topped with a thick coating of sindoor, had already attracted ample attention. With her current ensemble, which includes the auspicious shloka, Aishwarya remains a proud representative of Indian culture in front of the international community.

Even after a slight accident when Helen Mirren stepped over her flowing cape by mistake while striking a pose together with Cara Delevingne, Aishwarya was unperturbed and still radiating her glorious smile. With bright red lips beach waves and statement earrings, she continued to show everyone once again why she is still one of Cannes fashion’s reigning queens.