Cannes 2026: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan blooms in blue mermaid gown; fans say, 'International paps clicking OG queen, unlike others'

And the OG of Cannes is here, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, the queen is back, and fans have been waiting with bated breath to witness Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's latest Cannes look, and the diva just made Friday night fryayy with her stellar appearance. The actor exuded mermaid vibes in a fishtail peace blue gown with ruffled sleeves and a plunging neckline.

Ash is literally ageing in reverse. Aishwarya opted for Amit Aggarwal's signature sculptural language, futuristic, dramatic and sharply constructed.

Aggarwal designed Aishwarya in Luminara, a couture creation centred around the idea of light in motion. The actor made a splash at the red carpet as if she owned it, from waving to giving flying kisses and making hand heart signs. Aishwarya looked stunning.

Her first appearance got mixed reactions. Many said her side-parting hairstyle looks good on her, but as the outfit is heavy, she feels uncomfortable while carrying it. Some even commented on her botched face and said she has lost weight, but her cheeks look swollen.

Take a look at the comments

Many compared how Alia Bhatt was ignored on the red carpet and not many clicked her while Aishwarya was clicked, and there were numerous flashes 

Speaking about the collaboration, Amit Aggarwal said, "Aishwarya has always approached Cannes with a strong sense of individuality and evolution. With Luminara, Mohit Rai and I wanted to create something that felt less like a garment and more like an energy field around her."

Ever since the Cannes Film Festival kicked off, people have been wondering when Cannes queen Aishwarya Rai will grace the red carpet. Some even guessed that this time she might be skipping the film festival altogether. However, putting all the rumours to rest, the actor flew off to the French Riviera on Thursday night.

On May 21, Aishwarya was clicked by the paparazzi at the Mumbai airport, accompanied by her daughter, Aaradhya Bachchan. The mother-daughter duo took a late-night flight to Cannes. Their videos and pictures from the airport were shared on social media.

Aishwarya looked stunning in an all-black ensemble as she held Aaradhya's hand; her hair looked silky and voluminous, while Aaradhya looked taller than her mother.

Ahead of her Cannes appearance, Aishwarya was seen at Hotel Martinez on the French Riviera alongside her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. The venue itself had become part of the conversation in recent days after fans linked it to reports of an alleged Cannes snub.

Aishwarya and Aaradhya get a warm welcome at hotel; Ash clicks pics with the security guard

Videos circulating online showed Aishwarya entering the hotel, where she was welcomed with a floral bouquet, dressed in black as she greeted staff members, posed briefly for photographs and acknowledged fans waiting outside.

She also took photos with the security guard, while Aaradhya was seen standing beside her.

Aishwarya's first red carpet moment is simply stunning and unmissable.

A controversy erupted during the start of the festival, wherein Aishwarya Rai was missing from material from the promotional banner of L'Oréal alongside Alia Bhatt, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria and Helen Mirren. Posters displayed around Hotel Martinez also prompted online discussion, with many fans questioning whether Aishwarya had been left out and whether her absence from campaign material meant she would miss Cannes altogether.

Fans reacted strongly to her omission from the visuals. They were unhappy seeing Alia Bhatt and even trolled her online.

Later, L'Oréal addressed the discussion and described Aishwarya as a "living legend".

Aishwarya has always been part of Cannes and she usually comes towards the closing ceremony.