Aishwarya Rai is a literal queen in every sense. She is one of the first Bollywood actors to build a name for herself on a global scale. Aishwarya started her international red carpet journey at the Cannes Film Festival! The actress initially appeared on the prestigious red carpet in 2002 and has since made 18 appearances, more than any other Indian. She has often represented India, and at the event, India meant Aishwarya Rai. Throughout her appearances, she has established countless records, and her flawless ensembles have consistently made headlines. However, the strangest thing happened when she made her Cannes debut.
For her Cannes debut in 2002, the actress had walked the red carpet in a neon green saree that was draped over a champagne gold spaghetti blouse. The outfit was accessorised with traditional gold jewellery and a high bun. This look received major criticism as the audience found it too “tacky.” Now decades later, designer, Neeta Lulla recalls exactly what happened that year. The designer revealed that Aish had fractured her foot at the time and she was not keeping well. She added that around 47 outfits were sent with Aish but the entire look had to be changed.
She said, “There were some 47 outfits that went with her for the whole festival. Day wear, afternoon wear, evening wear, red carpet wear. Somewhere, I guess what happened was possibly time, possibly because of different collaborations, jewellery had to be changed. I really don’t know what happened there.”
Further in the conversation, Neeta shared that she was left disheartened after Aish’s look received backlash from the fashion police. Talking about the same, the designer shared that she was so grateful that even after that, Aish stood with her and trusted her with so many looks. She said, “Till date, I don’t know what went wrong at the event and why people labelled me as a ‘bad designer’ without knowing the backstory.”
What Aishwarya Had To Say About Her Look
Earlier in an interview, even Aishwarya Rai had opened up about being chastised for her outfits at the 56th Cannes Film Festival. She said, “Initially, I couldn’t understand what the big hullabaloo was about. So, I never expected such a big media moment out of what you were wearing. Because I was really there as a jury member which was so much bigger a purpose and so much more important, so much more exciting and impactful. I was like seriously, is this what you guys are focusing on?”
We’re glad that Aishwarya Rai did not let all the criticism bring her down and continued to shine on the Cannes red carpet. She continues to surprise us every year and we can’t wait to see what more she has in store for us in the future!
Feature Image: Instagram
