Alia Bhatt may currently be facing heavy online trolling over her recent Cannes appearance, but the actress is making headlines for another reason too. Amid the social media chatter, Alia took a moment to celebrate one of Indian cinema’s most unforgettable fashion moments. The actress recently revealed that Aishwarya Rai’s iconic look from the premiere of Devdas at the Cannes Film Festival remains her favourite red carpet appearance of all time.
The comment quickly grabbed attention online, especially because Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes legacy has once again become a major talking point this year.
Alia Bhatt Calls Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes Look ‘Iconic’
During an interaction with British Vogue, Alia Bhatt spoke about the Cannes appearance that has stayed in her memory for years. Without hesitation, she picked Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s look from the Devdas premiere in 2002.
Alia said, “A Cannes look that actually goes down in my memory as absolutely iconic would have to be Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at Devdas premiere. The beautiful sari that she wore and just her face, it was so iconic (sic).”
Well, Aishwarya’s appearance at Cannes in 2002 is still considered one of the defining moments for Indian cinema on the international stage. The actress attended the premiere alongside Shah Rukh Khan and filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
When Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali visited Cannes film festival for the promotion of Devdas (2002) pic.twitter.com/8K94PeI0jt
— Movies N Memories (@BombayBasanti) May 14, 2026
Why Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes Legacy Still Matters
Aishwarya Rai first attended Cannes in 2002 for Devdas. A year later, she officially became a global ambassador for L’Oréal Paris. Since then, she has become one of the most recognised Indian celebrities at the festival and has appeared on the Cannes red carpet almost every year.
Recently, fans noticed that Aishwarya was missing from promotional posters displayed by the beauty brand at Le Martinez Hotel during Cannes 2026. Interestingly, Alia Bhatt appeared on the campaign posters, which led to online debates among fans.
Many social media users questioned why Aishwarya, who has represented the brand for more than two decades, was not featured prominently. Reacting to the criticism, L’Oreal Paris responded to fans on Instagram and described Aishwarya as a living legend. In another comment, the brand wrote, “Year after year, Cannes after Cannes, she never misses.”
Alia Bhatt Is Facing Trolling For Her Cannes 2026 Appearance
Talking about Alia Bhatt, she has been dealing with online criticism linked to her recent Cannes appearance. A viral clip from the event showed international photographers seemingly overlooking the actress while she smiled, waved, and posed on the red carpet.
The video sparked trolling on social media, with some users claiming global media failed to recognise the Bollywood star. Others criticised comments she made during an interview about gender-neutral storytelling in Indian cinema. Some social media users accused her of hypocrisy because of husband Ranbir Kapoor’s association with male-centric films like Animal.
Despite the criticism, Alia continues to stay focused on her work. The actress is currently awaiting the release of her upcoming spy thriller Alpha. She is also working on Love and War, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, which is expected to release in 2027.
Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai was last seen in Ponniyin Selvan: II. She hasn’t appeared in any film since then.
