Aishwarya Rai finally heads to Cannes after days of absence rumours

After days of speculation around whether Aishwarya Rai Bachchan would attend this year’s Cannes Film Festival, the actor has finally put all rumours to rest. Aishwarya was spotted leaving for the French Riviera with her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan early Friday morning, sparking excitement among fans online.

The actor arrived at the Mumbai airport dressed in an all-black outfit alongside Aaradhya, with the mother-daughter duo coordinating their looks for the journey.

A stylish airport appearance

For the airport outing, Aishwarya chose a structured black blazer featuring floral sequin embroidery and sharp lapels. The shimmering embellishments added sparkle to her monochrome look. She paired the blazer with straight-fit black trousers, black heeled boots and carried a black handbag with brown handles.

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Aaradhya complemented her mother’s look in a coordinated black outfit. She wore black flared jeans with a black-and-white top featuring button detailing and a simple V-neckline, layered with a black leather jacket.

Aishwarya greeted photographers with smiles and also posed with a young fan before entering the airport. In a candid moment, she was seen alerting photographers after noticing one of them had lost a shoe.

Fans celebrate Aishwarya’s Cannes return

Aishwarya is expected to attend the festival as a L’Oreal ambassador. Speculation about her possible absence had gained attention after fans noticed she had not appeared in this year’s L'Oréal promotional campaigns linked to Cannes.

Soon after videos and photos from the airport surfaced online, fans flooded social media with reactions.

“Finally! The QUEEN of Cannes.. sorry.. the MOTHER of Cannes is here,” one social media user wrote.

Another commented, “Finally ! The OG Queen of Cannes.”

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“The only Cannes look we have been waiting for,” one fan shared, while another wrote, “The Queen is on her way.”

It is believed Aishwarya may appear on the Cannes red carpet during the festival’s closing days.

A long Cannes association

Aishwarya first attended Cannes in 2002 alongside Shah Rukh Khan and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for the premiere of Devdas. She later became a L’Oréal ambassador in 2003 and has remained a regular face at the festival ever since.

The actor was last seen in Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2, directed by Mani Ratnam.