Alia Bhatt to return to Cannes Film Festival; Karan Johar, Ammy Virk, Manasi Parekh headline diverse Indian contingent

Apart from big names from Bollywood, the Cannes Film Festival 2026 will see participation from several leading figures of Indian regional cinema.

As the biggest celebration of cinema, the Cannes Film Festival begins later this month, and the names of Indian stars set to walk the red carpet and appear at the fest have started to emerge. And while some of the big names from Bollywood and beyond are set to give Cannes 2026, many will return. Aishwarya Rai, a staple at the event for over two decades, will walk the red carpet once again. HT has also learnt that Alia Bhatt is set to return to the festival after a memorable debut last year. In addition, a wide range of actors and filmmakers from several regional-language film industries will be present at Cannes this year, underscoring India’s diverse filmmaking culture.

Ammy Virk will make his debut at Cannes Film Festival this year while Alia Bhatt will return for the second year in a row.

Alia Bhatt, Aishwarya Rai return; Tara Sutaria debuts

Regular Cannes attendee Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returns as a global ambassador for L’Oréal this year. She will be joined by Alia Bhatt, also set to make an appearance on the red carpet. HT previously reported that Tara Sutaria will make her Cannes red carpet debut this year, ahead of the release of her film Toxic later this year. Karan Johar, Mouni Roy and Pooja Batra are also expected to attend among prominent names from Bollywood.

Regional Indian cinema to leave a mark

The official delegation from India will be represented by filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker in his capacity as the newly appointed director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Several stalwarts and big names from regional cinema will also make their presence felt. Punjabi cinema will make its maiden foray at Cannes this year with Ammy Virk and Roopi Gill taking their film Chardikala to the festival. Veteran Marathi stars Ashok Saraf and Nivedita Saraf will also be present. Along with Prajakta Mali and producer Kedar Joshi, they are set to appear on the Cannes red carpet in traditional Marathi attire.

Gujarati cinema will be represented by actor-producer Mansi Parekh, who will attend alongside her husband, singer and producer Parthiv Gohil. Filmmaker Chidambaram, best known for Manjummel Boys, will showcase the best of Malayalam cinema at Cannes this year as he takes his upcoming film Balan: The Boy to the Cannes market. This is perhaps the most diverse slate of Indian performers to appear in Cannes at the same time, representing several film industries across the length and breadth of the country.

All about Cannes Film Festival

Arguably the most prestigious film festival in the world, Cannes is held on the French Riviera every summer, attracting some of the biggest film stars and filmmakers, as well as hundreds of emerging auteurs and actors. Many films compete in the main sections, while others jostle for screening at the film market run in conjunction. The festival also sees several high-profile premieres from Hollywood studios and European film giants. This year, however, major Hollywood studios are notably absent from the lineup of films eligible for the top prize - the Palme d'Or. The 2026 Cannes Film Festival runs May 12-23.