Did Bollywood get Cannes 2022 right?

There is no secret as to why red carpets are red — like traffic lights, they scream at you to stop and demand all of your attention. Anyone who walks on the scarlet piece of cloth knows they have to bring their A game and so when it's time for Cannes and the world is watching, you bring it. And Bollywood stars brought ... something.

To assess whether Bollywood celebrities jumped through the style law hoops perfectly or crashed against the rings, we've rounded up some of the attendees' looks at Cannes this year.

Deepika Padukone

Actor Deepika Padukone is a fashion icon who has only expanded in terms of mass appeal through the years and so when it's her turn to walk the carpet, all eyes are on her.

On day 1, the Gehraiyaan actor chose her go-to designer Sabyasachi and went all out. She donned a black and gold striped sari that gave off a very retro vibe, especially with the headband she slipped into her choice of accessories. The heavily sequined sari that caught light with every movement was paired with her hair swept in a bun and huge earrings.

The outfit could have rocked in another era and at another event but not at Cannes. The overall look was too dark and glittery for a daytime red carpet appearance. We're fans of a statement eyeliner and believe it works any time of the day, but this application was messy and just made the whole look appear heavy. Also, one thing Padukone's makeup artist needs to keep in mind is beauty looks tend to differ in reality as opposed to certain angles on Instagram.

Padukone's day three look, however, is more on par and kept up with the times. We're also partial to it because minimalism takes the cake for us.

She wore a monochrome red peplum Louis Vuitton dress paired with a chunky, layered Cartier necklace — and it all came together to deliver a show-stopper.

Her hairstyle was structured and untamed and her face was almost bare barring red lips, both smart moves on her makeup artist's part as the focus stayed on the knockout dress.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's Cannes entry started off with an all pink Valentino suit that may have been neon bright but it didn't catch our attention. The reason why it didn't stand out for us was because it didn't propose anything original since we've already seen that on Zendaya at the Paris Fashion week and Dua Lipa as well.

Then came the time for the red carpet. For someone who wore a Cinderella-like gown before, we had high expectations for her to don another glamorous gown this time around as well. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. What we witnessed instead was a black dress that opened outlets for a garden of flowers, making her look like a giant bouquet or a cake with too many flowers on it — something pointed out by the merciless social media commentators.

Had the flowers been structured or had some order in terms of colour or positioning, it might've fared well but it appears as if someone got garlands and fit them inside her dress in a hurry.

We have to give her props for the light pink lipstick and bold eyes that matched the dress perfectly.

On the third day, Bachchan wore Gaurav Gupta's Couture gown that depicted her "rising from the scalloped shell". Though the lavender tone was very soothing to the eyes and tracing the folds of the dress a fun visual experience, the huge shell framing the back of her head threw the look off for us.

Had the shell at the back not reminded us of a gaudy bed frame, the dress may have actually worked. The curled hair swept to the side is a win for sure.

Tamannaah Bhatia

Actor Tamannah Bhatia went with classic colours, black and white, a combination that is very difficult to diss. And the Gauri and Nainika peplum dress, a play on the dimensions of her body, was nothing basic. We're a fan of the mermaid skirt of the dress and the way the white deep scooped neckline gives the illusion of extending into a tail.

The actor had her hair swept back into curls, making us think of 90s' glamour. She avoided accessories apart from long earrings and we have to say, it was a pretty classy look overall.

Pooja Hegde

For Pooja Hegde, first off, plus points for the monochrome Maison Geyanna Youness dress — the pale pink softened the overall look. We approve of the balance between the tight sequined bodice and the flowy, feathery bottom. We are asking ourselves, though, if too much feathers is a thing.

The actor's makeup, hair and accessory choices are flawless. The combination of her bronzed, glowy face, the sleek ponytail and blingy earrings is just a neat look that doesn't have a hair out of place.

The question remains — did Bollywood bring it? They brought flare for sure. They brought drama, boldness and experimentation. What would become of fashion if it embodied only the trends instead of plunging forward into unknown territories? It would come to a standstill. But a little more experimentation would definitely up their game.

Style is subjective but even fashion needs a balance, the heavy to complement the light, the colours to mesh well with each other instead of clashing and the articles of clothing to be a neat stack instead of a hodgepodge mix. When these silent laws are violated, the sense of sight is an attack.

Which look did you like best? Let us know!

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The 75th annual Cannes Film Festival 2022 began on May 17 and will run until May 28.