#HTCityatCannes | India’s largest red carpet contingent on inaugural day of Cannes 2022

This year promises to be special for Cannes film festival, and most certainly for India. In their 75th year, both the prestigious fest and India’s independence status are seeing an unmatched synergy of sorts here at the French riviera town of Cannes. While Indian celebrities have rocked the Cannes red carpet on previous occasions, May 17, the inaugural day of the fest, will see India’s largest ever official contingent on the red carpet, marking the country’s status as the first ever Country of Honour by marche du film at Cannes.

At 6:30pm India time, the Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Anurag Thakur will kick off India stint at Cannes 2022 with Charles H Rivkin, Chairman & CEO Motion Pictures Association of America. This will be followed by the red carpet Spotlight of the Indian contingent between 9:30pm-11:30pm IST by celebrities including AR Rahman, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, R Madhavan, Pooja Hegde, Tamanna Bhatia, Ricky Kej, Shekhar Kapoor, Prasoon Joshi, Vani Tripathi and Mame Khan. In addition, actors Aishwarya Rai, Aditi Rao Hyderi, Hina Khan and Helly Shah would be walking the red carpet on different days on account of their endorsements and films. Deepika Padukone is part of the competition jury at the festival. The inaugural red carpet appearance will be followed by the contingent attending the screening of the opening French film Coupez (Final Cut) by filmmaker Michel Hazenavicius, and Anurag Thakur hosting an exclusive gala dinner for the contingent, prompting them with the opportunity to showcase their chosen sartorial style to celebrate India.