Kangana Ranaut defends Aishwarya Rai over Cannes fashion criticism

Actor Kangana Ranaut has publicly defended Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after the veteran actress faced online criticism over her fashion choices at the Cannes Film Festival 2026. In a strongly worded Instagram story, Ranaut praised Rai Bachchan’s appearance and pushed back against what she described as unrealistic standards imposed on women in the public eye.

Ranaut shared a photograph of Rai Bachchan’s first red carpet look at this year’s festival, a custom blue sculptural gown by designer Amit Aggarwal. In her post, Ranaut wrote that fashion and style are forms of self expression and that no woman owes anything to anyone. She added that Rai Bachchan looked great and challenged critics to present their own alternatives. “She is not here to please you, she is glorious,” Ranaut wrote. She also addressed age based criticism, stating, “If you are not used to seeing older women on red carpets, get used to them now.”

Rai Bachchan made her 24th appearance at the Cannes Film Festival this year, continuing her long standing role as a brand ambassador for L’Oréal Paris. She attended the festival with her daughter Aaradhya Bachchan, who appeared alongside her mother at the Lights on Women’s...