Aishwarya Rai Bachchan warns young actors against ‘manufactured’ things: ‘Be true to yourself’

In a recent interview, Aishwarya Rai shared insights on navigating the film industry, emphasising the importance of individuality.

Aishwarya Rai made the world wait a little before making her grand entry at the Cannes Film Festival this year. The actor, who has spent nearly three decades in the Hindi film industry, recently shared advice for young actors entering the industry and explained how they should hold their own in a world where so much is heavily manufactured.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan poses for photographers upon arrival at the awards ceremony during the 79th Cannes Film Festival. (AP)

Aishwarya’s advice to aspiring actors

Speaking to Brut India, Aishwarya admitted that an artiste feels every day is a new day and that they are constantly on a journey of discovery through creativity. She also shared how she is still working and striving to earn the adulation of fans.

“I’m grateful for the love and support. Thank you so much for the appreciation, but I truly feel your journey in the artistic world, or any world you choose, is individual. And your experiences are what will enrich you and help you discover what choices you can make. Because different strokes for different folks. So, you don’t know what’s going to work for you, what’s right or wrong," she said.

She added, “All I’d like to say is go out there, discover your passion, and be true to your choices. You have to be your best friend because you have to stand by yourself. What goes on around you isn’t something you can predict or you should be looking at manufacturing in the current world scenario, where so much that gets done is manufactured. There’s no fun, magic, and discovering of what all one can do in the journey of exploring. You have to be alive and experience life, and then bring that to your art. So, be true to who you are. Be brutally honest to yourself,” she asserted.

The Guru actor further advised aspiring actors to remain “a student of life” and live their journey fully, as “everything else will find its place as it’s meant to be.”

Aishwarya’s history with Cannes

This marks Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s 24th year at the Cannes Film Festival. Earlier, fans had raised questions when L’Oréal Paris posted a promotional video showing a giant poster of Alia Bhatt on a hotel façade in Cannes ahead of the festival. The posters also featured Viola Davis, Eva Longoria and Helen Mirren. However, Aishwarya was missing from the posters, which led fans to question the brand’s decision.

For the unversed, Aishwarya has been associated with the brand since 2003 and remains one of the most recognised faces at the film festival, while Alia Bhatt was announced as its new global brand ambassador only recently in 2024. This was followed by the brand responding, “Year after year, Cannes after Cannes, she never misses.”

Aishwarya eventually appeared on the Cannes red carpet, while her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan also made her Cannes red carpet debut this year.