Will Alia Bhatt CANCEL Her Cannes 2025 Debut? Netizens Call It ‘PR Stunt’ After She Skips Opening Over India-Pak Tensions

The highly awaited debut of actress Alia Bhatt at the Cannes Film Festival has been delayed. She was supposed to walk the red carpet on May 13, the opening night, but reportedly decided to skip it due to the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. The 78th Cannes Film Festival started on May 13 and will continue until May 24.

Alia Bhatt SKIPS Cannes 2025 Opening Ceremony

Alia Bhatt was set to make her Cannes debut as a L'Oréal ambassador, had plans to attend the festival’s grand opening ceremony. According to a midday report, due to the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan, she decided to skip the event to show solidarity with her country.

As tensions between the two nations ease following a ceasefire, there’s a possibility that Alia may still attend the festival. The Cannes Film Festival runs for 11 days, and while some events had been planned around her appearance, Alia is still considering her participation based on her schedule.

Sources say that Alia’s team is expected to release an official update about her appearance at the festival soon.

How Netizens Are Reacting To The News

As soon as the news broke, several internet user expressed their displeasure. Many felt that this was just a clever attempt to make headlines. One user wrote, “PR stunt.” Another said, “PR stunt after Mumbai Police story.”

A user joked, “Border par kaam karne jaa rahe kyaa😂😂😂” One more said, “So much BS that it’s embarrassing. Her PR team is playing to save her. Shame on her and them.”

Another commented, “Abhi ye sab drama karke koi fayda nhi hai ,jab stand lena tha tab ek bhi post nhi kiya ,phir ab ye nautanki kyu ?”

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Alia’s debut at the Cannes Film Festival was through her association with beauty brand L'Oréal Paris. She is expected to join Aishwarya Rai at the film festival, which opened on May 13.

Alia Bhatt: Work Front

On the professional front, Alia Bhatt is currently working on two major projects. She is filming Alpha, an action-packed movie directed by Shiv Rawail, which is part of the Yash Raj Films' spy universe and will release on December 25, 2025.

She is also working on Love and War, a highly anticipated film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, where she stars alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal.