(May 23, 2025) On a breezy evening in May, filmmaker Payal Kapadia walked the red carpet at Cannes with a sense of dejavu. Just last ago, she stood on the same stage as a winner, holding one of the festival’s top awards. Now, she returned as a jury member, one of nine experts who will decide this year’s top honours. Her journey — from winning the Grand Prix in 2024 for her debut film All We Imagine As Light to serving on the main competition jury—is more than just a personal milestone.
It marks a turning point for Indian cinema on the world stage.
Once seen as an occasional visitor to the global spotlight, Indian film is now a confident and constant presence. At Cannes 2025, that presence is loud and clear—on screen, on the red carpet, and in the jury room. More than just a showcase of movies, the festival has become a platform for India’s soft power, where storytelling becomes diplomacy, and culture becomes influence.
A Long Journey to the Croisette
India’s love affair with the Cannes Film Festival spans decades. It all began in 1946, when Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar made history as the first Indian film to win the festival’s top prize. In the years since, icons like Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, and Mira Nair have earned recognition on the Croisette. Ray’s Pather Panchali charmed audiences in the 1950s, and in 1988 Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay! clinched the Camera d’Or for best first feature.
Still, India often remained on the fringes of Cannes – celebrated occasionally, but not consistently present at the forefront. That began to change in recent times. Last year’s breakthrough was a case in point: Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light not only became the first Indian film in 30 years to be selected for Cannes’ main competition, it also won the Grand Prix (the festival’s second-highest honour. If 2024 marked India’s return to center stage, 2025 is the year India steps fully into its power on the global film scene.
Payal Kapadia’s Rise from Winner to Jury
One of the proudest moments for India at Cannes this year is Payal Kapadia’s appointment to the main competition jury. At 39, she’s the first Indian filmmaker in decades to be part of this prestigious panel. Sitting alongside names like Juliette Binoche, Halle Berry, and Italian director Alice Rohrwacher, her presence reflects how far she has come—and how far Indian cinema has come with her. Just last year, Kapadia made history by winning the Grand Prix for her film All We Imagine As Light, an Indo-French drama about female friendships. That win, 76 years after Neecha Nagar’s 1946 victory, was seen as a turning point.
Payal Kapadia with jury members at Cannes 2025
Now, her move from winning awards to helping select them feels like a full-circle moment. Kapadia’s presence on the jury brings an important Indian voice to Cannes’ biggest decisions, showing that India is no longer just taking part—but helping shape global cinema. Her journey also reflects a larger shift: a new generation of Indian filmmakers is stepping up, earning respect and recognition alongside the world’s finest directors.
New Voices and Glamour from India
Contemporary Indian cinema took a proud step on the Cannes stage with Homebound, a poignant Hindi drama by director Neeraj Ghaywan. A decade after his breakthrough Masaan won hearts at Cannes, Ghaywan returned with Homebound in the prestigious Un Certain Regard section. The film – a tale of two friends from rural North India chasing a dignified life – signaled India’s ongoing rise in world cinema. Backed by producer Karan Johar and even garnering support from Hollywood icon Martin Scorsese as an executive producer, Homebound arrived at Cannes as more than just another screening; it was a statement of India’s storytelling prowess on a global platform.
A Starry Debut on the Red Carpet
While Homebound’s selection was a proud achievement in itself, much attention was also on the film’s leading lady, Janhvi Kapoor, who made her Cannes red carpet debut at the film’s premiere. The young actress – already a popular name in Bollywood – embraced the moment as an opportunity to showcase India’s blend of tradition and glamour. Janhvi dazzled in a blush-pink Tarun Tahiliani lehenga-gown crafted from handwoven Banarasi tissue. The couture ensemble beautifully blended heritage with high fashion. She was joined by her Homebound co-stars Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa, along with director Neeraj Ghaywan and producer Karan Johar.
Janhvi Kapoor
Tradition on the Red Carpet
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, one of India’s most iconic global ambassadors, returned to the Cannes red carpet this year draped in a regal ivory saree designed by Manish Malhotra, rich with silver zari and rose-gold accents. Now in her 22nd year at Cannes, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is no stranger to the spotlight. Over the years, she has become a familiar face at the festival—one who quietly represents the evolving presence of Indian fashion and identity on a global stage.
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At Cannes 2025, Aditi Rao Hydari too made heads turn with two contrasting looks that beautifully balanced tradition and modern style. For the red carpet premiere of Fuori, she wore a black-to-ivory ombré gown by Rahul Mishra. But it was her second appearance, in a bright red saree with sindoor and a neatly tied bun, that struck a deeper chord. Elegant and rooted in Indian tradition, it stood out for its quiet cultural pride.
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Honouring the Past: Satyajit Ray’s Classic Returns
Balancing the new with the old, Cannes 2025 also honoured one of India’s most celebrated films. Satyajit Ray’s Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest, 1970) was screened in the Cannes Classics section. The film was shown in a brand-new 4K restored version, presented by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Project along with India’s Film Heritage Foundation. Its Cannes showing is more than just a nostalgia trip; it’s a celebration of India’s rich film heritage and a reminder that our stories have long been part of world cinema’s fabric.
The screening became even more special with the return of two original cast members—veteran actresses Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal. Sharmila looked graceful in a green silk saree, while Simi wore her trademark all-white outfit. Their presence on the red carpet was a proud and emotional moment—two icons of Indian cinema coming back to Cannes to honour a film that still feels meaningful more than fifty years later.
Simi Grewal and Sharmila Tagore at Cannes 2025
Behind the Glamour: Bharat Pavilion Builds India’s Global Storytelling Hub
Away from the paparazzi and premieres, the Bharat Pavilion at Cannes 2025 quietly continued to do the work that matters most — building India’s cultural bridge with the world. First introduced in 2024 as a renamed and reimagined version of the India Pavilion, this space has grown into a vital hub for collaboration, conversation, and soft diplomacy. This year, it played host to film producers, festival directors, and policy voices discussing everything from co-productions to storytelling formats.
A key moment came with the unveiling of Baghuni, an Odia-language Indo-UK co-production—marking a significant leap for regional Indian cinema on the international stage. Industry veterans like Shekhar Kapur and Anupam Kher lent their presence to the space, not as celebrities, but as cultural ambassadors. If the red carpet showed India’s shine, the Bharat Pavilion showed its substance—a place where stories begin, partnerships are born, and India’s creative future finds its footing on a global map.
Cinema as Soft Power
India’s growing presence at Cannes isn’t just about films—it’s about soft power, the ability to shape global perception through culture, not coercion. In a world often divided by politics, soft power builds quiet influence. And few things travel farther and deeper than a good story. Indian cinema, with its emotional depth, strong visuals, and diverse voices, is becoming one of the country’s most powerful exports. A film can cross borders faster than diplomacy, spark curiosity, and create understanding.
That’s why soft power matters. It invites the world to see India not just as a rising economy or political player, but as a country with imagination, soul, and something to say. At Cannes, this soft power is on full display—whether it’s in a standing ovation after a screening, a conversation sparked at the Bharat Pavilion, or a red carpet look that mixes tradition with modernity. Cinema, more than ever, is India’s voice to the world.
Also Read: Mitu Bhowmick Lange: Bringing Indian cinema to Australia’s big screens
