Aishwarya Rai’s Cannes arrival comes through the same doors that fuelled her absence rumours

Highlights

• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan arrived at Hotel Martinez in Cannes with daughter Aaradhya Bachchan
• Her appearance comes after online discussion over her absence from recent L’Oréal Paris campaign visuals
• Hotel Martinez had become central to speculation surrounding her Cannes presence
• The actor is expected to appear on the festival red carpet

The hotel behind the chatter became the setting for her arrival

After days of online theories and fan questions, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has arrived in Cannes, ending speculation over whether she would attend this year's festival.

The actor was seen reaching Hotel Martinez on the French Riviera alongside her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. The venue itself had become part of the conversation in recent days after fans linked it to reports of an alleged Cannes snub.

Videos circulating online showed Aishwarya entering the hotel carrying a floral bouquet, dressed in black as she greeted staff members, posed briefly for photographs and acknowledged fans waiting outside.

Why her absence became a talking point

Questions around Aishwarya's Cannes appearance gained momentum after fans noticed she was missing from recent campaign visuals released by L'Oréal Paris.

The promotional material featured ambassadors including Alia Bhatt, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria and Helen Mirren. Posters displayed around Hotel Martinez also prompted online discussion, with many fans questioning whether Aishwarya had been left out and whether her absence from campaign material meant she would miss Cannes altogether.

The conversation gathered pace across social media, where fans reacted strongly to her omission from the visuals.

Later, L'Oréal addressed the discussion and described Aishwarya as a "living legend".

A Cannes journey spanning more than two decades

Aishwarya's association with Cannes stretches back over twenty years. She first appeared at the festival in 2002 during the premiere of Devdas, alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

A year later, she joined L'Oréal Paris as a global ambassador and became one of the most recognisable Indian faces linked with the event.

Over the years, her Cannes appearances, fashion choices and red carpet moments have become regular discussion points among audiences.

This time, however, attention reached Cannes before she did. And in a twist that fuelled even more interest, the same hotel that sparked questions about her absence became the place that announced her arrival.