The annual Cannes Film Festival is back and the headlines scream how Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looked stunning in her red Ralph and Russo gown as she walked down the red carpet. Flouting the hard and fast rule of never wearing red on the red carpet, Aishwarya was applauded for her bold fashion statement. Hindustan Times described her dress as exuding “a glorious Spanish vibe [where]..she looked like she’d break into a graceful dance any moment”.
Contrast this with the image that shows Shabana Azmi, accompanied by director Shyam Benegal and actress Smita Patil, on the Cannes red carpet in 1976. Nominated for the movie Nishant, Azmi is seen wearing a simple sari and gazing away from the camera unselfconsciously. The picture, uploaded by Azmi on twitter, harks back to a simpler time uncluttered by glamour and the pressure to set fashion statements. “In Cannes1976 for Nishant in official selection. The simplicity of it all. Film was important not the clothes!” Azmi tweeted.
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Shabana Azmi Retweeted Rahul Sharma's Tweet With her Cannes 1976's Photo
Azmi went on to write, “V had no money so Shyam made us walk down d promenade in saris n ask ppl who turned in curiosity to watch our film. It worked house was full”.
This economical austerity seems so far removed from the exorbitant glamour characteristic of the film industry today. Moreover, in film festivals of the past, the focus was on the film. In recent times, this has changed, with attention being monopolised by the film ‘stars’ and the labels they sport.
This simple tweet by a veteran actress served as a piercing reminder of when the film industry was more substance than glamour.
