Aishwarya Rai's sindoor statement on and off Cannes red carpet

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan trusted the sartorial prowess of the traditional Indian saree as she returned to the Cannes red carpet on May 21. However, it was the bright red sindoor in her hair that emerged as the cynosure - stealing all the attention and sending out strong messages.

Was her sindoor a nod to India's Operation Sindoor? Aishwarya’s sindoor moment at Cannes comes just days after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam.

Sindoor, a symbol of a woman's marital status, can also be perceived as a message quashing Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan's divorce rumours.

Talk about making a style statement on a global platform!

A Cannes veteran, the actress embraced the elegance of six yards, exuding ethnic glamour in an ivory-coloured saree from Manish Malhotra’s eponymous label, adorned with gold accents. A sheer white tissue handwoven dupatta, edged with real gold and silver zardozi embroidery, completed Aishwarya’s Cannes 2025 red carpet look.

She was all smiles as she posed on the red carpet:

This is not the first time Aishwarya has worn a saree at Cannes. In 2002 and 2003, she brought the six yards of elegance to the international stage, creating fashion moments that continue to be revered today.

Take a look at the pictures here:

The saree Aishwarya wore for Cannes 2025 was a handwoven Kadwa ivory Banarasi handloom drape. It featured handwoven brocade motifs and hand-embroidered zari detailing in real chandi (silver).

Her appearance in this elegant ivory Manish Malhotra saree comes after her Cannes outings in the last few years have been criticised by her fans. Clearly, you can never go wrong with a saree!