Indian actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has once again become one of the biggest highlights of the Cannes Film Festival 2026. The actor impressed fans with her back-to-back glamorous red carpet appearances and confident presence at the global event. While many praised her elegance and fashion choices, some social media users made age-related remarks about her appearance, sparking criticism online.
Coming out in support of Aishwarya Rai was Kangana Ranaut who strongly reacted to trolling and defended the actor against negative comments.
On Sunday, Kangana shared a picture of Aishwarya from the Cannes red carpet on her Instagram Stories. In the image, Aishwarya Rai was seen wearing a blue Amit Aggarwal gown that quickly caught attention online. Kangana praised her appearance and criticised people who were targeting older women for continuing to dominate public spaces and red carpets.
In her post, Kangana highlighted that fashion and style are forms of self-expression and said women do not need to meet other people’s expectations. She also stressed that successful women should not be judged based on age, adding that people uncomfortable with seeing older women confidently owning the spotlight would need to accept that reality.
Kangana Ranaut wrote, “Fashion and style is a self expression, it is one’s own interpretation of life and their attitude, no woman owes anything to anyone, Ash looks great!! Those of you who want to see her any other way, why don’t you show what you got?? She is not here to please you, she is glorious, if you are not used to seeing older women on red carpets, get used to them now. Thanks.”
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has represented India at Cannes for many years and remains one of the country’s most recognised international faces at the prestigious film festival. Her appearances regularly become major talking points across entertainment and fashion circles and this year too, social media was filled with admiration for her red carpet looks.
During her time at Cannes, Aishwarya Rai also spoke about self-belief, individuality and following one’s passion. Thanking fans for their continued love and support, she encouraged newcomers to focus on their own journey and experiences instead of comparing themselves with others.
The actor spoke about the importance of discovering personal passion, staying honest to one’s choices and trusting one’s instincts. She also said that growth in any creative field comes through real-life experiences and personal exploration rather than trying to fit into manufactured expectations.
Aishwarya Rai further encouraged people to remain authentic and confident in their journey while continuing to evolve through life and art.
