Slaying it at Cannes
It’s great seeing so many Indians at Cannes now. It was nothing like this three decades ago, when I had the rare honour of my film, 'The Cloud Door', premiering there. The film had already been to 40 major film festivals all over the world and was receiving rave reviews. International applause was new for me and unheard of generally. In 1995, Cannes was a mostly unknown name in India. For Cannes till then, it was Satyajit Ray who defined India, whose film, 'Pather Panchali' got recognition in 1956.
I had written in my diary in October 1995: ‘Does it look like I have finally walked out? Walked out of money, fame, power, prestige, authority etc… or, rather, walked into solitude, calm, simplicity, etc…? The former I had and the latter I desired. I always knew that the edge of the rainbow was inside me and I just had to get to it, somehow. I’m heading to meditation that most don’t know about. Beginning of this year, I stopped signing new films. I am completing the leftovers. Also, simultaneously, I have done my last interview, gave my last autograph and clicked the last photo with a fashion photographer.’
Looking back I had a short but monumental acting time. I cut through the totally male-dominated industry. Acting in the Cannes release generated international applause and was the push I needed to springboard to the ‘Other Side’. Now that I am returning to acting, I know, given the right director and role I can do wonders. I look forward to bringing my audience great cinema—they deserve it.
Bollywood diva Aishwarya Rai Bachchan stunned in a dramatic blue-silver confetti gown from the house of designer Falguni and Shane Peacock as she walked the red carpet this year at Cannes. However, her look didn’t go down well with the netizens. They were more taken up with content creator Nancy Tyagi from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, who proved that you don’t need to be from the city of dreams—Mumbai—to be picked up for the prestigious Cannes.
Whether she owes it to stitching the outfit herself, her size zero body, wearing it to a personally orchestrated style, or her admittance of a humbling journey, hardly matters. In applauding this we fail to acknowledge the fact that we Indians are ready to praise our own. With a digital technology that makes visible an international mindset, the stage seems to be set for Indians to shine in the international fashion arena.
In a pink ruffled gown that weighed over 20 kg and was made of 1,000 m of fabric, 22-year-old Tyagi walked down the Cannes red carpet. This is just the beginning. Let’s remember that humility is the expression of the deepest self-confidence. That is exactly what I had set out to bring to the girl child when I designed, formulated and set up my yoga programme a decade ago.
Anu Aggarwal
Actor, speaker, yogi and author
Instagram: @anusualanu