Cannes 2026: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan absent from L’Oréal Paris campaign video, sparks speculation

The red carpets are being rolled out, hotel facades are turning into giant fashion billboards, and the French Riviera is once again preparing for cinema’s most glamorous spectacle, the Cannes Film Festival. Ahead of the festival’s opening tomorrow, beauty giant L'Oreal Paris, offered fans a first look at the Hôtel Martinez getting its annual Cannes makeover, complete with portraits of its global ambassadors.

The video spotlighted stars including Viola Davis, Eva Longoria, Helen Mirren and Alia Bhatt. But almost immediately, viewers noticed another familiar Cannes figure was missing from the lineup: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

For many Indian cinema fans, Aishwarya and Cannes have become nearly inseparable over the years. Her absence from the campaign clip quickly sparked speculation online, especially given her long-standing association with L’Oréal Paris and her status as one of the festival’s most recognisable Indian faces. The brand captioned the video: “And… action! The most iconic façade in Cannes is getting its festival look. Hôtel Martinez is officially dressed in L’Oréal Paris.”

While Alia Bhatt’s appearance in the video generated excitement among her fans, with Soni Razdan also resharing the post, much of the online conversation soon shifted toward Aishwarya’s missing poster.

Aishwarya first attended Cannes in 2002 for the premiere of Devdas and has since become one of India’s defining presences at the festival. At the time, she turned heads in a striking yellow sari designed by Neeta Lulla.

Over the years, her Cannes appearances, be it dramatic couture gowns to intricately styled Indian ensembles, have regularly dominated international fashion coverage.

She's had many stunning looks over the years at Cannes, and one of her most unforgettable fashion moments came in 2017, when she stepped onto the red carpet in a shimmering icy-blue couture gown by Michael Cinco. The dramatic ensemble, widely remembered as her 'Cinderella' look, featured a sculpted corset bodice flowing into an enormous princess-style skirt, intricately embellished with silver and white floral detailing.

The actor is reportedly expected to attend the 2026 edition of the festival, which runs from May 12 to May 23, marking what would be her 23rd appearance as a global ambassador for L’Oréal Paris.

Last year, Aishwarya’s red carpet look became one of the festival’s most talked-about fashion moments. She arrived in an ivory saree by Manish Malhotra featuring handwoven Kadwa Banarasi craftsmanship, paired with ruby and diamond jewellery.

Her traditional styling, especially the sindoor , drew widespread attention online and was celebrated by many fans as one of her standout Cannes appearances in recent years.