A new Cannes promotional campaign by beauty giant L'Oréal Paris has sparked debate online after fans noticed that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was missing from the video.
The omission quickly triggered reactions across Instagram and X, where users questioned why one of Cannes’ most recognizable Indian faces was absent from the campaign.
The campaign video, shared on May 10 ahead of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, showed giant promotional posters being installed across a hotel building in Cannes.
The visuals featured celebrities including Alia Bhatt, Viola Davis, Eva Longoria and Helen Mirren.
The caption read: “And action! The most iconic facade in Cannes is getting its festival look.”
Soon after the clip was posted, social media users flooded the comment section asking, “Where is Aishwarya?”
Many fans argued that her absence was surprising given her long-standing association with the brand and the Cannes Film Festival.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has represented L'Oréal Paris at Cannes for more than two decades.
The Devdas star became a global ambassador for the brand in 2003 and has since made over 20 appearances at the festival.
Over the years, she has become one of the most photographed and recognizable Indian celebrities on the Cannes red carpet, making her absence from the latest campaign especially noticeable to fans.
Alia Bhatt takes spotlight in new campaign
Meanwhile, Alia Bhatt was prominently featured in the campaign visuals.
The Highway actor is returning to Cannes for the second consecutive year as a global ambassador for the beauty brand.
Her strong presence in the campaign sparked comparisons online, with some users debating whether the brand was shifting focus toward a younger lineup of ambassadors.
L’Oréal responds to online speculation
Following the online discussion, L'Oréal Paris clarified that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Alia Bhatt and Aditi Rao Hydari will all represent India at Cannes this year.
The statement helped calm some speculation, though discussions around Aishwarya’s absence from the initial promotional material continued online.
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