India’s association with the Cannes Film Festival, for many years, has come with one constant appearance – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan walking the red carpet for the L’Oréal Paris show. Since becoming a global ambassador for the beauty brand in 2004, the actress has become one of the most recognizable Indian faces at Cannes, having attended the festival more than 20 times.However, ahead of this year’s edition of the festival, fans were left confused and disappointed after the actress was noticeably absent from the brand’s latest promotional campaign.
Fans doubt the absence Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s video from Cannes Film Festival
On May 10, L’Oréal Paris shared a promotional video on Instagram showing the iconic Hôtel Martinez dressed for the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.The video showed giant posters of actresses associated with the brand being raised from the hotel balcony. Among them were Alia Bhatt, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria and Helen Mirren.The post’s caption read: “And… work! Cannes’ most famous façade gets her festive look. @martinezhotel dressed in formal L’Oréal Paris attire.”But what immediately caught the attention of Indian fans was the absence of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.Soon after the video was posted, social media users flooded the comments section asking the brand why the actress was not featured in the campaign.
“Everyone in the comments is asking about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. New faces may come but you can’t replace the OG Aishwarya,” a user commented.Another wrote: “Where is Aishwarya’s poster?”A separate comment read: “What happened to L’Oreal? Have you forgotten the way you raised your brand in India?”Many fans also claimed that the Cannes campaign seemed incomplete without the actress, who has long been referred to as the “Queen of Cannes” by her fans.
Alia Bhatt featured in the campaign amidst backlash from fans
While many fans celebrated Alia Bhatt’s appearance in the international campaign, others wondered if the brand was shifting its focus away from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.Alia, who recently joined L’Oréal Paris as a global ambassador, features prominently in the campaign video.Some users even argued that the brand should not prioritize new ambassadors over Aishwarya, considering her decades-long association with both the company and the film festival.So far, the brand has not issued any statement addressing the backlash or the actress’s absence from promotional materials.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Kahn: A long-lasting bond
Over the years, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has become one of the biggest Indian hotshots at the Cannes Film Festival.From her dramatic dresses to her experimental beauty looks, the actress has consistently attracted global attention with her appearances at the prestigious film festival.Her Cannes outings have often sparked major conversations online, with fans eagerly waiting every year to see her red carpet looks.Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt arrived at the French Riviera on Sunday morning and was seen at the airport in an all-black outfit. It is still unclear whether she will attend the festival’s opening ceremony scheduled for May 12.
