Cannes 2025: From Deepika Padukone to Sonam Kapoor, throwback to Bollywood's best Cannes looks

Every May, Cannes turns into every cinema lover's and fashion enthusiast's dream. Red carpet, camera flashes, and silhouettes that dance with the breeze. Over the years, we’ve watched Aishwarya Rai make fairy-tale entrances, Sonam Kapoor treat the carpet like her personal runway, and Deepika Padukone bring quiet elegance as a jury member. These moments haven’t just been about fashion, they’ve been cultural.

And now, all eyes are on Alia Bhatt. Making her Cannes debut this year, she carries a generation’s excitement with her. We’ve seen her grow, play every kind of role, and now she’s stepping into a global spotlight, not just as an actress, but as a voice of new Bollywood. Of course, we’re curious about the outfit (how could we not be?), but it’s also about what her presence means.

Cannes has always been a celebration of stories, of risk, of magic. And with Alia’s arrival, there’s a new story unfolding, one that feels personal, powerful, and proudly ours but for now lets look back at some of the iconic outfits Bollywood has brought to the festival. 

1. Aishwarya Rai

Over the years, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has pretty much made the Cannes red carpet her own. She’s been going to the festival for a long time now, serving one unforgettable look after another. But if there’s one moment that really stuck with everyone, it was 2017. That year, she showed up in a powder blue Michael Cinco gown that felt straight out of a dream, soft embroidery, dramatic pleats, and just the right mix of fairy-tale magic and movie-star confidence. It wasn’t just a dress; it was the dress, the kind that made headlines, inspired sketches, and reminded everyone why she’s still the queen of the Cannes carpet.

2. Deepika Padukone

Leave it to Deepika Padukone to end her Cannes jury duties with a look that was all drama, all elegance, and entirely unforgettable. On the final day of the 2022 Film Festival, she walked the red carpet not in a gown, but in a sari, though calling it just a saree would be doing it a disservice. Designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, the custom white ensemble was all ruffles, shimmer, and sculptural fantasy. Inspired by “celestial grace,” it felt like something a modern-day sea goddess might wear, complete with a shell-shaped blouse, a dramatic train, and a collar so bold it practically had its own spotlight. Deepika let the outfit do the talking. And talk it did. Loudly. Elegantly. Unapologetically.

3. Priyanka Chopra 

There are red carpet looks you forget by the time the next one rolls in… and then there are the ones that stay with you. Priyanka Chopra at Cannes 2019? That was the latter. She stepped onto the red carpet in this soft, cloud-like strapless tulle gown, and for a moment, everything else faded. No feathers, no thigh slits, no experimental sleeves. Just Priyanka, in a dress that looked like it had been made out of a love song. The dress, by Georges Hobeika, had a kind of quiet drama. The ruffles along the neckline felt flirty without trying too hard, and the layered train trailed behind her like it had its own mood. A delicate necklace and drop earrings from Chopard that didn’t scream for attention but still caught your eye. Metallic heels peeked through with every step. The whole thing felt effortless.

Priyanka didn’t just dress up for Cannes that year. She showed up and made us all swoon a little.

4. Anushka Sharma 

There she was, Anushka Sharma, at the Cannes 2023, somewhere between the chaos of red carpets and the calm of the French Riviera, wearing the softest shade of pink. It wasn’t a gown. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t trying to go viral. It was just… really beautiful. A strapless Prada top that looked like it was made of melted satin and moonlight. It had this quiet, balloon-like shape that somehow felt both playful and elegant. And those long panels trailing behind her? They didn’t scream for attention, but they danced a little when the breeze caught them. Like they were in on the secret. The piece came from Prada’s Spring/Summer 2022 collection, Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada doing that thing where fashion looks simple but hits you right in the gut. There was no heavy styling, no loud lip, no sparkle. Just that pink, her skin glowing, and a kind of calm confidence that made you stop scrolling. It didn’t need a headline. It was the moment.

5. Aditi Rao Hydari 

Some people wear gowns. Aditi Rao Hydari became one. For her Cannes 2024 appearance, she stepped into something that wasn’t just couture, it was sculpture, shadow, and softness rolled into one. The black velvet clung to her like a secret, deep and quiet, while a sweep of ivory surrounded her like moonlight turned fabric. The whole look felt less like red carpet fashion and more like a still from an old film you can’t get out of your head. She didn’t need glitter or feathers or fuss. Just that face, calm, timeless, and the kind of elegance that doesn’t try to perform. It just is. Sitting against an ancient stone wall, Aditi looked like she belonged to another time. And yet, somehow, she owned this one completely.

6. Sonam Kapoor 

While most stars floated down the Cannes carpet in gowns that trailed for miles, Sonam Kapoor did something cooler; she walked in wearing a crisp white tuxedo. And not just any tux. A Ralph & Russo number that fit like it was stitched onto her soul. Tailored, dramatic, and cinched just enough to remind you she means business. She paired it with a neck full of emeralds, Chopard’s green gems sat boldly against her bare skin like they had their own agenda. There was no overthinking, no overdressing. Just Sonam, slick bun, killer posture, and eyes that knew this look would be remembered. It wasn’t loud. It didn’t need to be. She didn’t show up to play the part. She showed up as herself, elegant, sharp, and totally in control.