Is Alia Bhatt skipping Cannes debut due to India-Pakistan tensions? Here’s what we know

The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival began on May 13 and will conclude on May 24. Alia Bhatt was attending the festival as brand ambassador of L'Oreal.

Actor Alia Bhatt's much-anticipated debut at the Cannes film festival has hit the pause button, as per reports. It is believed that the actor was supposed to walk the red carpet on the opening night of the film gala on May 13, but decided to push things off due to current tensions between India and Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Alia Bhatt shared an emotional statement around the tension between India and Pakistan.

Doubts over Alia’s Cannes outing

The 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicked off on May 13 and will go on till May 24.

“As the L'Oreal ambassador, Alia was supposed to make her Cannes debut. She was slated to attend the grand opening ceremony, for which she had to fly over the weekend. But in the current times of geopolitical tension between India and Pakistan, she wanted to express solidarity with the country and decided against going," Mid-day quoted a source as saying.

With things calming down between India and Pakistan after the ceasefire, Alia could be joining the festivities soon. "The festival is 11 days long. Of course, there were several activities planned around her today and tomorrow, but she is still contemplating if she can make it in the coming days. It will also depend on her schedule back home,” added the source.

Hindustan Times has learned from sources that the actor and her team will soon release an official update about her appearance at the Cannes film festival.

What we know about Alia’s Cannes film festival debut

Alia’s debut at the Cannes film festival was through her association with beauty brand L'Oréal Paris. She is expected to join Aishwarya Rai at the film festival, which opened on May 13.

At the time of the announcement, Alia released a statement to share her excitement about making her debut at the Cannes Film Festival.

“There’s something absolutely special about firsts — and I’m so excited to make my Festival de Cannes debut this year, an iconic celebration of cinema and self-expression. It is such an honour to represent L’Oréal Paris at the Festival with this year’s theme, ‘Lights, Beauty and Action’. To me, beauty is about celebrating individuality, confidence and self worth. It’s limitless, it’s unique. I'm proud to stand with a brand that celebrates every woman’s journey and empowers them to shine in their own light,” Alia said.

Last year, Alia joined Aishwarya at the Paris Fashion Week as the brand ambassadors of the cosmetic brand.