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Cannes Film Festival 2025: Did you notice Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Banaras shawl featured Bhagwat Geeta shloka?
Aishwarya Rai’s second look at the Cannes Film Festival 2025 showcased a couture ensemble that beautifully embodied cultural heritage.
While everyone loved Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s black bodycon look at the Cannes red carpet, opinions were mixed about the shawl. This is when Gaurav Gupta explained why the shawl makes ARB’s outfit meaningful and culturally rich.
Aishwarya Rai graced the Cannes Film Festival 2025 red carpet, leaving attendees and netizens practically gasping. For her second look, the 51-year-old actress slipped into a glamorous black Gaurav Gupta dress that was every inch ravishing. To everyone’s surprise, she layered the dress with a beige Banarasi shawl. The contrasting drape, which at first glance might seem abrupt, actually featured a Bhagwat Geeta shloka.
The handwoven brocade from Varanasi, in a shade of beige, featured the Bhagwat Geeta shloka embroidered on the back. The shloka reads, “Karmanyevadhikaraste ma faleshu kadachan.”
This is one of the most prominent Bhagwat Geeta shlokas, which loosely translates to—“You have a right to action but never to any fruits thereof.” The verse emphasizes performing one’s karma (action) or duty with utmost sincerity, integrity, and honesty, without worrying about the results or outcomes.
Gaurav Gupta, honoring the Fanney Khan actress's request for a timeless and elegant couture, crafted a piece that has remained iconic for decades in Indian Hindu culture.
The vision behind ARB’s black gown
Elaborating on the black bodycon dress, the fashion designer shared that he aimed to depict the Milky Way through delicate hand embroidery. Inspired by old Hollywood glamour and his Paris couture collection, Gaurav Gupta chose a rich velvet fabric for the tailored fit. With a cosmic vision in mind, he adorned the dress with intricate gold and silver sequins in abstract patterns, creating a timeless artisanal masterpiece.
