Aishwarya Rai ditches straight hair for second outing at Cannes; Fans say, ‘Prayers Worked—and How!’

Aishwarya Rai wore a black velvet gown by Gaurav Gupta that dazzled with cosmos-inspired embroidery in abstract forms, adorned with ornate silver and gold beadwork (Images: @gauravguptaofficial/Instagram)

Aishwarya Rai made her second appearance at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet, this time swapping white for black and stepping up her styling game. Fans, who had earlier complained about her straight hair, were relieved to see her sporting glossy waves.

The actress wore a black velvet gown by Gaurav Gupta that dazzled with cosmos-inspired embroidery in abstract forms, adorned with ornate silver and gold beadwork. She looked radiant as she walked the red carpet.

The designer shared on his Instagram handle, “@aishwaryaraibachchan_arb wears the ‘Heiress of Clam’, a custom creation imagined in a draped form and spiritual detail. The gown is hand-embroidered with an abstract rendition of the cosmos in bursts of silver, gold, charcoal, and black, accented with micro glass crystals to capture dimension and light.”

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A post shared by Gaurav Gupta (@gauravguptaofficial)

For added drama, Aishwarya draped a handwoven Banarasi brocade cape, inscribed with a Sanskrit shloka from the Bhagavad Gita: “You have a right to perform your actions, but not to the fruits of those actions. Let not the fruits of action be your motive, nor let your attachment be to inaction.”

This time, she ditched straight hair for side-parted glossy waves cascading over one shoulder, evoking old-world charm. Soft, well-defined eyes, a subtle blush, and a rich, bright red lip completed her glam look.

Fans were thrilled to see Aishwarya switch up her hairstyle. On a post by Diet Sabya, several users reacted to the new look.

One wrote, “We’re seeing a different hairstyle and a bright red lipper. A win is a win.” Another shared, “Thank God for the side parting—and how gorgeous she looks.” A user added, “Prayers worked—and how.” One fan said, “Someone finally burnt the straightener stash of her hairstylist.”

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While her hair drew widespread praise, many felt the shawl was unnecessary and took away from the look. A fan commented, “She looks fabulous. Didn’t need that cover-up.” Another said, “Lose the shawl and we get our Aish back! A win is a win.” One user added, “I think I just died a little bit when the drape slipped off her shoulder. What a beauty!”

Her first appearance this year was in an ivory Manish Malhotra Banarasi saree with delicate brocade motifs and a detailed gold border, paired with a handwoven tissue dupatta. Her accessories—especially the necklace featuring 500 carats of Mozambique rubies and uncut diamonds—stole the spotlight.