Cannes 2026: Alia Bhatt, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Karan Johar expected to grace the red carpet

India’s presence at the Cannes Film Festival 2026 is set to be wide and diverse this year as talent from multiple film industries is expected to attend the global event. The festival will take place from May 12 to May 23 in France, bringing together filmmakers, actors and producers from across the world.

From India, the lineup includes names from Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Malayalam and Hindi cinema, which reflects a broader representation beyond Bollywood. Punjabi cinema will be in focus with Ammy Virk attending Cannes for the first time.

He will be present with his film Chardikala, along with co-star Roopi Gill. Their participation is seen as a key moment for Punjabi films on an international stage.

Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker will also be part of the festival as a member of India’s official delegation. He will represent the country in his capacity as director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

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Marathi cinema is also expected to leave a solid mark this year. Veteran actors Ashok Saraf and Nivedita Saraf will attend, along with actress Prajakta Mali and producer Kedar Joshi. The group plans to appear in traditional Marathi attire, highlighting regional culture at the event.

From the Gujarati film industry, actor-producer Mansi Parekh will be present with singer and producer Parthiv Gohil. Their participation highlights the growing visibility of Gujarati cinema. Adding to the lineup will be Malayalam filmmaker Chidambaram who will take his film Balan: The Boy to the Cannes market. The move only adds to the growing global interest in Malayalam films.

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Bollywood will also have a strong presence. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will return as a global ambassador for L'Oréal, continuing her long association with the festival. Actress Alia Bhatt is also expected to attend. Besides, filmmaker Karan Johar will be present along with actors Tara Sutaria, Mouni Roy and Pooja Batra.

Overall, the Cannes Film Festival 2026 guest list shows a mix of mainstream and regional representation from India, bringing different film industries to a global platform.