By: Amit KumaR Agarwal
The 75th edition of Cannes Film Festival opens today, May 17, 2022; very interestingly, India celebrates 75th year of Independence this year. To develop further ties with India, France is going all out to woo Indians. India is the 'Country of Honor' at the market (Marche du Film) of Cannes Film Festival this year. Earlier in March, India was the 'Guest of Honor' at Paris Book Fair 2022. So what is it that India and Indians can look forward to at 75th Cannes other than the most famous Indian at Cannes, Aishwarya Rai.
Let's start with the official selection. While mainstream Indian media is gung ho about certain films going to Cannes, the fact is there has been only one Official Selection from India, 'Nauha' by Pratham Khurana in the La Cinef section of the festival.
So much for all the hullabaloo about Cannes! Why is it that Indian filmmakers consistently fail year after year to get an Official Selection?
Deepika Padukone is on the jury of Cannes Film Festival, another high.
The fact though is, except for Aishwarya Rai, no other Indian actress makes her presence felt at Cannes.
The former Miss World, who represented
L’Oreal Paris at the Cannes Film Festival successfully over the years, has always stunned the paparazzi with
her red carpet look.
Though in India, year after year media spills ink about this Indian actress making a mark that Indian actress making a mark read Deepika, Sonam, Kangana, Mallika - the fact is, except for Aishwarya Rai none of these actresses make even a whimper at Cannes except for the Indian Media.
It is a fact echoed by festival regulars! Ado, festival director, of a Swiss film festival says, "people know only Aishwarya Rai from India". Another Cannes regular, French distributor and sales agent Margarita said, "The kind of frenzy Aishwarya creates on the red carpet is at par with her Hollywood counterparts".
Alice, a journalist with a French TV channel sums it down, "the big three at Cannes - Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Screen - consistently feature Aishwarya Rai, show me even one picture of another Indian actress in any of these three magazines. That is the power of being Aishwarya Rai!".