Before Deepika Padukone, these 5 Indian stars were jury at Cannes film festival

Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone has headed for France to attend the 75th Cannes Film Festival where she has been invited as a jury member. India holds a very special connection with Cannes, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan being it favourite girl. However, this year’s film festival holds a lot more importance, especially for India. As the film festival is celebrating its glorious 75 years, India has been made the ‘Country of Honour’ since India too is celebrating its 75th year of Independence. At the same time, India and France’s bilateral relations have also turned 75 years old. Meanwhile, since Deepika is joining the Cannes jury, let us take a look at the Indian celebrities who previously attended Cannes as jury themselves.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: She made her Cannes debut in 2002 with Shekhar Kapur. The two were there for a special screening of her film ‘Devdas’. Aishwarya was the first Indian female actor who was invited to the Cannes Film Festival. A year later her Cannes debut, Aishwarya returned to the film fest in 2003, but as a member of the jury this time.

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Sharmila Tagore: It was in 2009 when Sharmila Tagore was invited to the Cannes Film Festival as a jury member to judge one of the international competitions. The veteran actor’s film ‘Devi’ was also nominated in the ‘feature film’ category in the year 1962. Devi was helmed by legendary late filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

Vidya Balan: Not too long ago, Vidya Balan was invited as a jury member in the year 2013, during the 66th Canner Film Festival. Over all these years, the actor has created a space for herself wherein she is hailed for her women-centric roles the most.

Shekhar Kapur: The only Indian male invited so far, as part of the jury, is filmmaker Shekar Kapur. The ‘Mr India’ director is popular in the West for his films. It was in 2010 when he was invited to the festival as a jury. In 1994, Shekhar Kapur’s film ‘Bandit Queen’ was screened at Cannes.

Mira Nair: She served as a jury member back in the year 1990. Mira Nair was the first Indian to have been invited as a jury. The filmmaker and producer won the Audience Award for her film ‘Salaam Bombay’ in 1988.

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