Cannes 2025: Jacqueliene Fernandez's strapless red hot rose gown fails to impress; fans call it tacky

Bollywood actress Jacqueline Fernandez wowed audiences with her appearance at the prestigious Women in Cinema gala, hosted by the Red Sea Film Festival at Cannes 2025.

Alongside Jacqueline, the panel featured prominent global talents including Zambian-Welsh director Rungano Nyoni, Egyptian actress Amina Khalil, Syrian filmmaker Gaya Jiji, Saudi actress Elham Ali, Jeddah-based multidisciplinary artist Sarah Taiba, and Thai actress Engfa Waraha. Together, these women represented a celebration of culture, creativity, and contributions across continents. Representing Indian cinema, Jacqueline brought a distinct presence marked by grace, impact, and global appeal.

The Red Sea Film Foundation shared a series of Jacqueline's red carpet photos on Instagram, writing, "On the sidelines of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, we were pleased to host Women in Cinema, celebrating women's cinematic contributions. In attendance was Jacqueline Fernandez, one of our spotlighted women. Sponsored by Red Sea Global."

Jacqueline turned heads on the red carpet in a bold red gown 

For the event, Jacqueline chose a strapless red gown by Nicole + Felicia. The gown featured an inverted plunging U-shaped neckline and a corseted bodice with back ties that gave her a cinched waist. The silhouette flared into a dramatic fishtail skirt, and she elevated the look with a delicate drape over her arms adorned with rose-shaped florets.

She accessorised with a diamond necklace featuring an emerald-cut pendant, along with teardrop diamond earrings and a matching ring. For her glam, she opted for a matte base, a muted pink eyeshadow, mascara, and winged eyeliner. Flushed cheeks, a subtle highlighter, and matte red lipstick completed her glowing look. Her hair was styled in a side-parted, elegant coiffed hairdo.

Netizens had mixed reactions to Jacqueline's red carpet appearance. Many age-shamed her. Some users also took sly digs at her, jokingly linking her to how her alleged boyfriend, Sukesh, might react, suggesting he would be inspired to write her another love letter.

One user commented, "The upper half of the dress is so pretty, but I'm confused about the lower half..."

Another wrote, "The color of the top doesn't match the skirt either."

A third added, "The fabric somehow looks tacky and doesn't go with it. I was just wondering how a velvet fabric fishtail would've looked..."

A fourth user took a jab at her with a reference to the Sukesh Chandrasekhar controversy:
"Now Sukesh will write her a letter about how gorgeous she looked at Cannes, and how he's buying her the hotel she stayed at."