Indian stars on the Cannes red carpet, from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan to Alia Bhatt


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Indian celebrities and personalities have lent their star power to the Cannes Film Festival red carpet over the years, and this year a number of Bollywood's new-generation actors also made their debut.

On May 20, Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor and Vishal Jethwa attended the premiere of French thriller Vie Privee (A Private Life). They are the stars of acclaimed filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan's film Homebound, which had its premiere at the festival's Un Certain Regard section, and is one of only two Indian films competing this year.

For her first Cannes outing, Kapoor wore a custom pink ensemble by Indian designer Tarun Tahiliani. Featuring a handwoven “tissue skirt and corset”, the hand-crushed fabric, crafted in the textile city of Benares, was an ode to Indian craftsmanship.

Janhvi Kapoor in Tarun Tahiliani. EPA
Janhvi Kapoor in Tarun Tahiliani. EPA

Kapoor finished her look with jewellery by Chopard.

Her co-star Khatter, known to international audiences for his role in Netflix show The Perfect Couple, chose a sharp bandhgala suit by couturier Gaurav Gupta. The custom maroon velvet suit featured knot embroidery on the front.

Ishaan Khatter in a badhgala suit. Photo: Gaurav Gupta / Instagram
Ishaan Khatter in a badhgala suit. Photo: Gaurav Gupta / Instagram

On May 21, Cannes veteran Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returned to the festival as L'Oreal ambassador. Styled by famed Indian designer Manish Malhotra, the Bollywood star honoured her Indian heritage in a handwoven Banarasi sari – known for its exquisite embroidery. Rai Bachchan draped her sari with a handwoven dupatta, edged with real gold and silver zardozi embroidery, finishing her look with jewellery by Manish Malhotra as well as sporting sindoor, the red powder typically worn by married women in India, in her hairline.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Manish Malhotra. Getty Images
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Manish Malhotra. Getty Images

One of India's most beloved stars, Rai Bachchan, who has also served as jury member at Cannes in 2003, returned the following night in a black custom Gaurav Gupta gown. She completed her look with a Banarasi brocade cape enveloping her.

Handwoven in Varanasi, the cape featured verses from the holy Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Gaurav Gupta. AFP
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Gaurav Gupta. AFP

Rising star Nitanshi Goel, who most recently appeared in the acclaimed film Laapata Ladies, also made her Cannes debut as L'Oreal ambassador. Wearing a custom gown by Jade, the label by Indian designers Monica Shah and Karishma Swali, Goel's dress featured a sculpted black corset with a dramatic cage skirt decorated with embroidery.

Nitanshi Goel in a dress by Jade. AFP
Nitanshi Goel in a dress by Jade. AFP

Dubai resident and former Mrs UAE World Debanjali Kamstra, who made her acting debut in the short film 30 Days of Autumn, walked the red carpet on May 19.

Designed by Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco, Kamstra's striking off-shoulder brown ball gown featured shimmering gold leaf applique.

Speaking to The National ahead of her film's premiere at the Cannes film market Marche du Film, Kamstra, who runs a number of businesses in the UAE, says making her acting debut was the realisation of a childhood dream.

Debanjali Kamstra in a Michael Cinco dress at the Cannes Film Festival. EPA
Debanjali Kamstra in a Michael Cinco dress at the Cannes Film Festival. EPA

Cinco, a Cannes red carpet regular, also dressed Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela earlier in the week.

Walking the red carpet on the opening night of the festival on May 13, Rautela's dress was inspired by the mosaics of Mexican art and featured a bustle at the hip, led by a dramatic train in tulle.

Urvashi Rautela in a Michael Cinco dress. Photo: Michael Cinco / Instagram
Urvashi Rautela in a Michael Cinco dress. Photo: Michael Cinco / Instagram

It's also a Cannes first for Bollywood star Alia Bhatt, also a L'Oreal ambassador, appearing at the fag end of the festival.

Bhatt chose Schiaparelli for debut – a pale pink number featuring intricate floral embroidery and organza work.

Alia Bhatt in Schiaparelli. EPA
Alia Bhatt in Schiaparelli. EPA

The acclaimed actress returned the following night, at the festival's closing ceremony in a bejewelled number by Gucci.

Bhatt, who was named the first Indian Gucci ambassador, arrived in a custom sari embroidered with crystals in the Italian fashion house's GG Monogram pattern.

Alia Bhatt in Gucci. EPA
Alia Bhatt in Gucci. EPA

Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder

Started: October 2021

Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Industry: technology, logistics

Investors: A15 and self-funded 

The biog

Name: Younis Al Balooshi

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn

Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design

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Closing the loophole on sugary drinks

As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.

The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.

Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.

Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
 

Not taxed:

Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20NOTHING%20PHONE%20(2a)
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Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

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What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
The candidates

Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive

Ali Azeem, business leader

Tony Booth, professor of education

Lord Browne, former BP chief executive

Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist

Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist

Dr Mark Mann, scientist

Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner

Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister

Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster

 

BULKWHIZ PROFILE

Date started: February 2017

Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce 

Size: 50 employees

Funding: approximately $6m

Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait

The Meg
Director: Jon Turteltaub
Starring:   
Two stars

BlacKkKlansman

Director: Spike Lee

Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver 

Five stars

The Equaliser 2

Director Antoine Fuqua

Starring: Denzel Washington, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Ashton Sanders

Three stars

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Juliet, Naked
Dir: Jesse Peretz
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Rose Byrne, Ethan Hawke​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​Two stars

Match info

Manchester United 1
Fred (18')

Wolves 1
Moutinho (53')

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The specs

The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
 

F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Squad for first two ODIs

Kohli (c), Rohit, Dhawan, Rayudu, Pandey, Dhoni (wk), Pant, Jadeja, Chahal, Kuldeep, Khaleel, Shami, Thakur, Rahul.

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

One-off T20 International: UAE v Australia

When: Monday, October 22, 2pm start

Where: Abu Dhabi Cricket, Oval 1

Tickets: Admission is free

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, Darcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa, Peter Siddle

Company profile

Date started: December 24, 2018

Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer

Based: Dubai Media City

Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)

Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech

Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year

Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020

Day 3 stumps

New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)

Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining

Updated: May 25, 2025, 10:13 AM`