A video of Alia Bhatt from the Cannes Film Festival 2026 has gone viral after the Indian actress appeared to be “ignored” by photographers at the event.
The 79th installment of the iconic film festival is taking place from May 12 to May 23 at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France. It is presided over by South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, of Old Boy and The Handmaiden fame.
Bhatt, 33, has appeared in more than 25 Indian movies and featured in Netflix’s 2023 movie Heart of Stone alongside Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan. She is attending Cannes as a global brand ambassador for L’Oréal Paris.
“She is embarrassing India at the international level,” one user said about her alleged faux pas moment on the Cannes red carpet.
Alia Bhatt trolled for waving at allegedly “uninterested” photographers at Cannes
Making her second Cannes appearance this year, Alia Bhatt stepped out on the second day of the film festival in a coral silk crêpe marocain corseted column dress by designer Tamara Ralph.
The viral clip showed different moments of Bhatt’s red carpet walk stitched together.
@gala.fr #aliabhatt #cannes2026 #cannesfilmfestival #onregardequoi ♬ Manchild – Sabrina Carpenter
In one, she was waving at the photographers. The video’s angle did not reveal the reactions of those she greeted. It captured only the photographers who were farther from her and were busy taking pictures of someone else.
In another, the photographers in the front row seemed not to notice when she posed, but a few in the back aimed their cameras at her.
The caption of the clip, shared by “Neeche Se Topper” on X, mocked Bhatt for her red carpet moment.
“So embarrassing, man,” it read. “Cannes is a global movie stage, and this is her 2nd appearance, yet nobody knows her; no pap flashed a single camera at her. Who is she waving at? None looks interested. Serious aura deficit!”
“Literally no one is even looking at her,” one user commented. Another said, “She was trying so hard but failed.”
However, some defended Bhatt, arguing that she was a renowned artist in her country and was representing it well.
“Who cares if photographers are clicking her or not? She is representing Indian artists, so chill,” one said. Another wrote, “Just because other countries’ paps don’t go crazy like the Indian ones, that doesn’t imply someone’s not famous.”
Netizens compared Alia Bhatt with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Cannes “aura”
Many viewers claimed that Alia Bhatt was receiving far less attention on the red carpet at Cannes than Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, another Indian actress who has represented India globally for more than two decades.
Rai Bachchan, 52, who has starred in leading roles in movies such as Bride and Prejudice and The Pink Panther 2, became the first Indian actress to serve on the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 2003. That same year, she was appointed as a global ambassador for L’Oréal Paris.
She talking and waving at nobody pic.twitter.com/Q72QT7oatz
— Xammy😶🌫️👹 (@EmmanuelSa837) May 13, 2026
This year, the brand omitted her from their Cannes line-up, which featured Bhatt alongside Helen Mirren, Viola Davis, and other stars. The detail drew significant backlash online, especially among Indian netizens, and the outrage intensified after Bhatt’s video went viral.
“Alia Bhatt at Cannes can try, but will never be what Queen Aishwarya Rai at Cannes was,” one said. “Aishwarya Rai is what Alia Bhatt pretends to be,” another wrote.
In response to online criticism, L’Oréal Paris called Rai Bachchan “timeless and completely herself” under their lineup reveal. In another comment, the brand said, “Year after year, Cannes after Cannes. She never misses.”
However, users were not satisfied with the responses, and many speculated that they were “AI-generated.”
Alia Bhatt previously said she was not recognized at Milan Fashion Week
In February 2026, Alia Bhatt attended the debut runway show of Gucci’s new creative director, Demna Gvasalia, at Milan Fashion Week, as the Italian haute couture house’s first Indian global ambassador.
She attended the event in a sleek, all-black Gucci ensemble, featuring a glossy leather coat dress, silver hoop earrings, gelled-back hair, a structured Gucci horsebit handbag, pointed heels, and oversized sunglasses.
Afterward, Bhatt shared her opinions in her car on the way back, gushing about Kate Moss ending the show. She also revealed that people had difficulty recognizing her because of one of her accessories, which went viral.
“Nobody was recognizing me because of my glasses — our whole Gucci team,” she admitted, adding that they could identify her once she took off the shades.
so embarrassing man. cannes is a global movie stage & this her 2nd appearance, yet nobody knows her, no pap flashed a single camera at her. who is she waving at? none looks interested. serious aura deficit! 😭 pic.twitter.com/GYuNMrmr6F
— Neeche Se Topper (@NeecheSeTopper) May 13, 2026
That’s not how it works!🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/dvT8InAsA8
— Debasish Sarmah (@grumpydebs) May 13, 2026
Bhatt made headlines for her 2026 BAFTA appearance as well, where she wore a silver sequinned Gucci gown and presented the Best Film Not in the English Language award to Joachim Trier for Sentimental Value.
Before announcing the winner, she began her greeting in Hindi, in keeping with the category, which earned a warm reception online.
“Cameras are on airplane mode.” The internet trolled Alia Bhatt for her awkward moment on the Cannes red carpet
