Where is Aishwarya Rai? After days of fan speculation, update on her much-awaited Cannes 2026 appearance finally revealed

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has not yet walked the Cannes 2026 red carpet, but she is now expected to attend the festival’s closing ceremony. The actor, who remains one of India’s most recognized faces at Cannes, missed the early days of the 79th edition due to undisclosed reasons. The festival began on May 12 and will conclude on May 23, bringing fresh attention to her possible appearance in the French Riviera.

Aishwarya Rai's Cannes 2026 appearance update

According to MoneyControl, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will attend the closing ceremony of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The report said she could not travel to France earlier for undisclosed reasons. Her absence sparked speculation that she would skip the festival this year. For Indian audiences, Cannes has long been linked with Aishwarya. She made her festival debut in 2002 during the premiere of ‘Devdas’ with Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Her yellow saree from that appearance remains one of her most remembered red carpet looks. Bollywood celebrities, including Alia Bhatt, have also spoken about its lasting appeal.

Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes legacy and red carpet looks

Aishwarya continued to walk the Cannes red carpet over the years and later attended the festival as a beauty brand ambassador. Her fashion choices often drew wide attention. Her Cinderella-blue Michael Cinco gown in 2017 became one of her most-discussed looks. In 2018, she followed that appearance with a butterfly-inspired gown that also went viral. Her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan has often accompanied her to the festival. Their mother-daughter moments from Cannes have regularly attracted attention online. This year too, Aaradhya is expected to join Aishwarya at the event. Abhishek Bachchan remains busy with the shoot of ‘King’, which also stars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone, among others.




Aishwarya also made history at Cannes in 2003, becoming the first Indian actress to serve on the jury. Several Indian celebrities have attended Cannes 2026 so far. The list includes Alia Bhatt, Huma Qureshi, Tara Sutaria, Jacqueline Fernandez, Aditi Rao Hydari, Mouni Roy, Kalyani Priyadarshan, and Urvashi Rautela. Marathi stars Ashok Saraf, Nivedita Saraf, Prajakta Mali, and Ankita Prabhu Walawalkar also walked the red carpet. Karan Johar is expected to attend as well.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”