In a star-studded presence on the Red Carpet, Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Shri Anurag Thakur led the largest ever Indian official delegation of eleven celebrities walking together on the inaugural event at the Cannes Film Festival.
The Union Minister is leading a strong Indian delegation to propagate India, the land of storytellers as the ‘content hub of the world’ and preferred ‘post-production hub’ for global filmmakers.
In a historic moment for Indian folk arts, Shri Mame Khan became the first-ever folk artist to open a Red Carpet for the Indian contingent at Cannes ever.
Putting on display the diversity and uniqueness of Indian cinema, the glamorous red-carpet contingent comprised film celebrities from across India. Consisting of eleven members walking towards the legendary stairs of the Palais des Festivals, the delegation carried all the symbolism of India’s ambition to become a global cinema hub.
The ten celebrities that accompany the Minister feature three musical maestros, who have been raising India’s flag on the international scale, and renowned filmmakers and actors from Indian Cinema who represent a kaleidoscope of diversity from various regions, languages, mainstream and OTT led cinema. India the land of storytellers is setting a beautiful narrative for the world through its strongest ever red-carpet presence at Cannes.
Among the stars was actor Nawazuddin Siddique, a regular at Cannes. His raw, powerful acting and the realism of his movies, such as The Lunchbox or Gangs of Wasseypur, have particular resonance among European audiences and signal that India is capable of producing movies catering to a wide range of sensitivities.
The presence of superstar music composer AR Rahman in the group displayed the intent of the Indian delegation to pay tribute to cinematographic music – for, maybe more than anywhere in the world, soundtracks play a massive role in the DNA of Indian cinema. Showcasing the musical eclecticism of the country, different genres were represented on the red carpet. Ricky Kej, an internationally acclaimed new age music composer and multi-Grammy Award winner, represented a more contemporary side of India, while Mame Khan, a film composer and folk singer from Rajasthan, personified the influence of folk culture on Indian cinema. Prasoon Joshi, a lyricist who penned innumerable evergreen film songs, and is now Chairman of the Central Board for Film Certification (CBFC), was also present.
Ambassadors from different regional cinemas were included in the delegation, sending the signal to the world that India – which boasts of 25 regional film industries – has many different flavours and styles to offer in terms of film production. This year, cinema from the south was in the spotlight. R. Madhavan, an actor, and producer who has been involved in movies shot in six different languages (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, and English) was a good example of the staggering diversity of Indian cinema. Two Telugu cinema superstars, Tamannah Bhatia and Pooja Hegde, also made their dazzling appearance as part of the delegation.
Shekhar Kapur, director of legendary films such as Mr. India, and now chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), as well as Vani Tripathi Tikoo, actress and member of CBFC, also took part in the Indian delegation.
Delegation members in order of appearance on Red Carpet
- Mame Khan, famous folk singer from Rajasthan
- Shekhar Kapur, globally acclaimed Director
- Pooja Hegde, Actress
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Actor
- Tamannah Bhatia, Actress
- Anurag Thakur, Head of the delegation and the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, India
- R Madhavan, Actor, Director, and Producer
- AR Rahman, leading singer & Music Composer
- Prasoon Joshi, Chairman CBFC & renowned lyricist
- Vani Tripathi, Producer, Member CBFC, Indian film personality
- Ricky Kej, the two times Grammy award winner and musician
Cannes Film Festival, which gathers every year the who’s who of the global movie industry, will take place from May 17th to 28th, 2022, and will be the occasion for Indian delegates to take part in various events and high-level meetings.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.