Washington DC [US], May 5: The Cannes Film Festival 2026 is set to see a strong presence from India, with a mix of regional cinema, filmmakers, and actors expected to attend the global event that will take place from May 12 to May 23 in France.

Actor-singer Ammy Virk will mark a key moment for Punjabi cinema as he attends Cannes for the first time with his film 'Chardikala.' He will be joined by his co-star Roopi Gill, making it a notable outing for the Punjabi film industry on an international platform.

Filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker will also be part of the festival as a member of India's official delegation. He will represent the country in his role as the director of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

Marathi cinema will also be seen at Cannes this year. Veteran actors Ashok Saraf and Nivedita Saraf, along with actress Prajakta Mali and producer Kedar Joshi, are expected to attend. The group, as per a release, plans to appear in traditional Marathi attire, presenting their regional identity at the global event.

Gujarati cinema will have representation through actor-producer Mansi Parekh, who will attend with singer and producer Parthiv Gohil. Their presence reflects the growing interest of Gujarati cinema in reaching wider audiences.

From the Malayalam film industry, filmmaker Chidambaram will take his film 'Balan: The Boy' to the Cannes market. This comes after the recent global attention received by Malayalam films.

Bollywood will also have a strong presence at the festival. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will return as a global ambassador for L'Oreal. Actress Alia Bhatt is also expected to attend. Filmmaker Karan Johar, along with actors Tara Sutaria, Mouni Roy, and Pooja Batra, will also be present at the event. (ANI)