Actors usually put their best fashion foot forward to walk the red carpet, especially when it is for the Cannes Film Festival. Nitanshi Goel combined fashion with emotion as she made her debut at the festival with an homage to Madhubala, Rekha, Sridevi, and Hema Malini, among others. Goel, who rose to fame with her debut film Laapataa Ladies (2024), was seen sporting a pearl hair accessory (parandi) with frames of veteran actors created by jewellery brand BeAbhika.

Speaking to mid-day about the inspiration behind this gesture, she says the idea was to pay an homage that “felt personal yet celebratory”. “It came from love for the icons who’ve defined grace, strength, and cinematic brilliance in Indian cinema. Their presence has always felt timeless, and I wanted to carry their spirit with me to Cannes. These women walked so we could run,” beams Goel, who was part of the newly-inaugurated Bharat Pavilion — the government-backed platform at Cannes — aimed at promoting Indian cinema.