10 Bollywood stars who shined bright at Cannes 2025 red carpet

The Cannes Film Festival is about films. But it’s also about the stories that walk the red carpet when the cameras flash. This year was no cookie-cutter glamour, no borrowed Hollywood poses. Instead, our stars stormed, blessed, questioned, and, in some cases, completely redefined what it meant to “represent India” on a global stage. Forget the overused phrases about “making heads turn” or “serving looks.” These artists and icons came with messages stitched into every pleat, petal, and pearl. Some brought politics. Some brought poetry. All brought power.

Here are 10 moments that prove India didn’t just attend Cannes 2025. We hijacked it.

1. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: The queen didn’t return, she reclaimed

In a sea of plunging necklines and sheer gowns, Aishwarya chose ivory silk, sindoor, and rubies that looked like they’d been mined from a queen’s treasury. Swathed in an ivory Banarasi masterpiece by Manish Malhotra, she reintroduced the red carpet to what Indian opulence really means. With sindoor glowing under camera flashes and rubies big enough to fund a film worth over £2 million, her look was unapologetically Indian. Not a throwback but more like a takeover.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stuns in an ivory Banarasi silk saree by Manish Malhotra Getty Images

2. Sharmila Tagore: Grace walked in, time stood still

When Sharmila Tagore walked the Cannes carpet in emerald silk, something magical happened: the noise dimmed, and elegance took centre stage. No sequins, no theatrics. Just a green saree so rich it could’ve been woven from the forests of Aranyer Din Ratri. She simply stood there all radiant, calm, and proud, and Cannes remembered what a real star looks like.

Sharmila Tagore exudes timeless grace in a rich emerald silk sareeInstagram/sabapataudi

3. Janhvi Kapoor: Debutante energy, heavyweight delivery

Janhvi’s Cannes debut paid homage to her mother with a soft pink Tarun Tahiliani saree look, handwoven in Banaras and accessorised with Chopard pearls worth £50,000. For the second look, she stunned in a green and gold backless Anamika Khanna gown with intricate embroidery, a dramatic long train, and traditional gold jewellery that elegantly draped down her back. From princess-core to regal desi drama, Janhvi served a dual wardrobe win on the Croisette.

Janhvi Kapoor in a soft pink Tarun Tahiliani Banarasi saree and wows in a green and gold backless Anamika Khanna gownInstagram/janhvikapoor/Getty Images

4. Karan Johar: Florals, but make it fearless

If anyone can make a rose controversial, it’s Karan. While others played it safe in black tuxedos, Karan marched in like a Bollywood maximalist dream in a Rohit Bal rose-embroidered coat priced at £10,000. Producing a serious film like Homebound and still showing up dripping in drama? That’s the duality only KJo can serve.

Karan Johar breaks the mold in a bold rose-embroidered coat by Rohit BalGetty Images

5. Simi Garewal: White isn’t a colour. It’s a command

In a snow-white Karleo gown with clean cuts and zero fuss, Simi proved style doesn’t need sparkle. With her trademark open hair and clutch, she looked like she’d walked straight out of a vintage film reel. Her presence was a quiet answer to anyone who thinks Cannes is only for the young. Legends, she reminded us, don’t fade; they refine.

Simi Garewal commands attention in a crisp white Karleo gownInstagram/simigarewalofficial

6. Jacqueline Fernandez: Red hot and regal at Women in Cinema

While others posed, Jacqueline was honoured, picked by the Red Sea Film Foundation as a Woman in Cinema. She stunned at the Women in Cinema Gala in a strapless red Nicole + Felicia gown worth £30,000 with a corseted bodice and fishtail skirt. The rose-floret drape added drama, while diamond jewellery and a bold red lip sealed this show-stopping look.

Jacqueline Fernandez captivates at the Women In Cinema gala in a strapless red Nicole + Felicia gownGetty Images

7. Vishal Jethwa: Dandy debut done right

Vishal made a strong first impression at Cannes in a sculpted black Kaushik Velendra pantsuit with shimmering shoulders and a golden bird brooch worth £5,000 . Sleek rings, glossy shoes, and a backswept hairdo completed his quietly flamboyant fashion win. It was a refreshing break from the usual red carpet formula, earning him instant sartorial cred.

Vishal Jethwa makes a stylish debut in a black embellished Kaushik Velendra pantsuit with a golden bird brooch Instagram/vishaljethwa06

8. Aditi Rao Hydari: The bride and the starlet in one

One night: a futuristic Rahul Mishra gown. The next? A red Raw Mango saree, sindoor, and all. Aditi didn’t just switch looks; she switched identities. Tradition and modernity, worn like two sides of the same coin. She wore her heritage like armour, proving tradition can outshine trend.

Aditi Rao Hydari transitions seamlessly between a futuristic Rahul Mishra gown and a traditional red Raw Mango saree Instagram/aditiraohydari

9. Mouni Roy: From primetime to prime carpet

She may be a Cannes freshman, but Mouni dressed like royalty. Midnight-blue couture, Chopard diamonds worth £100,000 and a pose that said, “I belong here.” No awkward debut jitters, just a woman who knew exactly when to step into the light.

Mouni Roy shines in midnight-blue couture and Chopard diamondsInstagram/imouniroy

10. Sonam C. Chhabra: The red carpet got political and personal

While others wore sequins, Sonam wore a cape etched with names of terror attack sites: Mumbai, Pulwama, Uri. It wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t supposed to be. Wrapped in white, she turned the carpet into a canvas for grief, pride, and resistance. Fashion can flirt or fight. She chose the latter.

Sonam C. Chhabra delivers a powerful political statement in a white cape etched with names of terror attack sitesInstagram/sonamcchhabra

So, what did India really do at Cannes 2025?

We didn’t just attend. We arrived. With every saree, every scene-stealing moment, and every cinematic victory, India’s stars reclaimed the narrative. This year, it wasn’t about who wore what. It was about who said something with fabric, with film, with fierce intent.

The Riviera might have the sunset, but this year, India owned the light.