“People Forget The Real Purpose Of Cannes Is Films”: Anurag Kashyap On Red Carpet Obsession

While interacting in an interview Anurag Kashyap commented that the focus for Bollywood celebrities is more on walking the red carpet rather than understanding the true nature of the festival.

79th Cannes Film Festival

We saw Alia Bhatt wearing stunning outfits and turning heads on the red carpet at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. Many actresses apart from Alia Bhatt, such as Tara Sutaria and Urvashi Rautela, were also present and made their debut at the festival this year.

Anurag Kashyap's Thoughts On Bollywood Celebs And The Festival

Although many may not be aware, Anurag Kashyap was also present at the 79th Cannes Film Festival. Recently, in an interview, he stated that nowadays people do not understand the real meaning of the film festival. For them, it is only about the red carpet.

The Maharaja actor further stated that in India, there is an obsession with Cannes, but unfortunately, it is only limited to the red carpet. He added that people tend to forget that the real purpose of the festival is films and not just appearances.

When he was asked why he was not seen on the first day of the festival, he replied that they usually enter from the side rather than posing on the red carpet. He also said that most Indian attendees do not even watch the films being screened.

Indian Presence At Cannes 2026

When Suchitra Tyagi asked why there is comparatively less Indian presence at Cannes despite India being one of the world's biggest film-producing countries, Kashyap stated:

"There is a lot of misinformation in India, and the producers fear festivals. So, what happens is, they are never on time. They are delayed. And even if the film had a chance to showcase itself in any of the categories, they lose that chance because they are never on time."

Indian Celeb Presence At Cannes

The Cannes Festival is very important for Indian celebrities to gain global visibility, and many stars have attended the festival over the years. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is often referred to as the "Queen of Cannes".

Along with her, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have also represented India on the global red carpet.

Many others such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Janhvi Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur and Sara Ali Khan have also attended the Cannes Festival.

Anurag Kashyap's Upcoming Project

On the work front, Anurag Kashyap's upcoming directorial film is The Bandar, featuring Bobby Deol and Sanya Malhotra. The film is expected to release in cinemas on June 5, 2026.