Madhuri Dixit defends Aishwarya Rai over Cannes trolling, praises her global legacy

Madhuri Dixit has defended Aishwarya Rai after the latter was trolled over her Cannes appearance. She said such comments ignore achievement and send the wrong message to youngsters.

In Short

• Aishwarya Rai faced body-shaming after her 2026 Cannes appearance
• Madhuri Dixit said reducing anyone to size or age sends harmful signals
• She recalled Aishwarya's two-decade Cannes presence and Miss World legacy

Actor Aishwarya Rai is a global star who has made her country proud with her achievements, says Madhuri Dixit, coming out in support of her Devdas co-star who faced trolling over her appearance on the red carpet of the Cannes Film Festival. Aishwarya, a Cannes regular for more than two decades, became the target of online trolling and body-shaming after images and videos from the 2026 red carpet circulated on social media.

Madhuri Dixit on Aishwarya Rai

Madhuri highlighted that Aishwarya has built a legacy by representing India on the global stage and trolling her over her appearance sends the wrong message to youngsters. The actor, in an interview with PTI, said, "She (Aishwaya) has been going there (Cannes) for 20 years. She has done the whole country proud. She is a global star. As a Miss World, she has done so much for the country."

"You cannot reduce her to a number on a scale or a number on the dress or the size or a number on the calendar years. You cannot reduce her to that. She is beautiful. She looks beautiful, but she is beautiful inside," she added.

The actor and Aishwarya worked together in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period romance drama Devdas with Shah Rukh Khan. In fact, Aishwarya first attended Cannes in 2002 for the premiere of the film alongside Shah Rukh.

Madhuri Dixit slams negative social media discourse

Madhuri criticised the negative social media discourse around Aishwarya's appearance. "I think people have to realise that when you do these kinds of comments, what kind of message are you sending to the youngsters today? That your worth is on how you look, not on your achievements. I think this is a completely wrong message being sent," she said.

Ananya Panday trolled over Bharatanatyam, hip-hop fusion

Not just Aishwarya, recently actor Ananya Panday found herself at the receiving end of a social media storm following the release of her romantic drama Chand Mera Dil. A scene in which her character Chandni performs a fusion of Bharatanatyam and hip-hop went viral, triggering a wave of criticism. Many called her out for "butchering" the dance form, with some describing it as an act of cultural disrespect.

According to Madhuri, social media has become a tool for anyone to comment on anything. "Even earlier, there were people like that. Those who comment, they didn't have a means to comment. But today, they have the means," said the actor.

Triptii Dimri, who stars alongside Madhuri in the upcoming Netflix film Maa Behen, echoed the actor. "It's very easy to sit at home in your comfortable pyjamas and comment on people. But being in their shoes, those who have worked hard to achieve something, whether it's Ananya or Aishwarya ma'am, they both worked hard in their lives. They are achievers," she added.

Maa Behen, a dark comedy that also features influencer Dharna Durga and Ravi Kishan in pivotal roles, is set to be released on Netflix on June 4.

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