The glitz and excitement of the Cannes Film Festival 2026 took a sudden turn when author and writer Shobhaa De said some hurtful things about Alia Bhatt’s popular red carpet moment. What began as a trendy celebrity visit immediately turned into one of the biggest entertainment scandals online. People on social media were split on whether the criticism was fair or too harsh.
Alia Bhatt went to Cannes this year as a spokeswoman for a global beauty brand. She immediately became a big topic of conversation online. Videos from the red carpet showed the actress smiling with confidence, while cameras seemed distracted by nearby famous people. The videos went viral fast on social media, sparking arguments about what it means to be a global figure and how Indian stars are treated at foreign events.
Some fans made fun of Alia’s situation and asked whether the international media had paid enough attention to her, while others praised her for her confidence and grace. The debate grew even bigger after Shobhaa De discussed the popular moment in public.
Shobhaa De’s comments start a huge online debate
When Shobhaa De discussed Indian celebrities attending Cannes this year, she didn’t hold back. She said in an online video that many foreign cameras at the event didn’t recognize some Indian stars walking the red carpet.
Taking a straight shot at Alia Bhatt, Shobha De joked that the actor might have been waving at her own team and kissing her makeup and style team instead of the cameras. Her comment went viral right away and caused strong responses online.
Some users agreed with De and said that people can’t become famous worldwide quickly just by appearing in fashion shows or endorsing brands. Others strongly supported Alia Bhatt and said Shobha De was rude to an Indian star who was happily promoting her country on a global stage.
Within hours, words linked to the problem began to trend on social media, turning it into a full on internet discussion. Fans of Alia Bhatt wrote many positive comments, while critics kept asking whether Indian celebrities really get the same level of attention at global events like Cannes.
Read also: Alia Bhatt’s Cannes 2026 First Look Breaks the Internet
People also don’t like Alia Bhatt’s clothes at Cannes
On top of the popular photo with the camera, Shobhaa De also said Alia Bhatt’s outfit choices at the fair were bad. She allegedly said that one of Alia’s peach colored skirts didn’t fit right and that it didn’t have the big effect that she thought it would have at Cannes.
De also talked about another outfit the actress wore that had a lot of layers. She said that the event and weather would have been better suited for lighter, more casual clothes. She liked some things about Alia’s style, like the traditional nose ring she wore, but she also said that these kinds of fashion choices have become boring and expected on famous red carpets.
Alia’s friends strongly supported her style, even though it was criticized. Many people on social media praised her for trying to mix fashion with Indian influences with high end fashion from around the world. A lot of fashion fans praised her beautiful outfit that looked like a saree and said it was one of the best at the festival.
Even though she was criticized, Alia stayed one of the most talked about Indian celebrities at Cannes 2026, as seen in the many photos and videos shared by fashion pages and fans throughout the week.
Read also: Met Gala 2026 Turns Into Meme Fest as Heidi Klum, Hailey Bieber and Celebs Redefine Fashion
About how Aishwarya Rai has run Cannes for years
It’s interesting that Shobhaa De publicly praised Aishwarya Rai Bachchan while attacking other Indian stars. She called her the only Indian figure who still has a lot of international fame at Cannes.
But Shobhaa De had a lot of nice things to say about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, whom she called “the ultimate queen of Cannes” and who she said has been running the event for years.Shobhaa De asked, “Why are our girls there at all if not Aishwarya Rai Bachchan?”
The author did say that she didn’t like some of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Cannes looks over the years, like the purple lip that went viral and the silver hood that was too big on her.
A lot of people also talked again about how Cannes has changed over the years. In the past, stars mostly went for movies, but these days many celebs serve as fashion spokespeople for premium brands and beauty companies.
That being said, she is the only well-known Indian star on that stage at the end of the day. “These women aren’t there to promote their range or the movies; they’re there to promote a brand of shampoos or cosmetics,” Shobhaa De said.
When Shobhaa De called Urvashi Rautela “original,” she was possibly the only person who got a much nicer review.
“I love her,” she said. Urvashi is the person she is.”The Met Gala is over. I believe the fun is over at Cannes too. “There was no style or substance, just a lot of garam hawa,” Shobhaa De said.
It started on May 12 and will go on until May 23. This is the 79th Cannes Film Festival.
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