Exclusive! Iti Acharya Reveals Inside DEETS Of Cannes 2024; Addresses Kelly Rowland Controversy & More

Iti Acharya On Her Cannes 2024 Appearance: Born in Jaipur, Rajasthan, brought up in Punjab and currently living in Bengaluru, model-turned-actress Iti Acharya has come a long way in the film industry. Iti was only 17 years old when she started modeling. After bagging fame with the movies like Keralaa Today, Satyavati, Semma otha Aagathey, Panganama, and Kavacha, Iti made her debut at Cannes Film Festival in 2022. Many of you mustn't be aware of the fact that the actress' 2022 experience was not delightful. But Why? How her third time experience at Cannes in 2024? The actress happily answers all the questions. She also talks at length and gives us insight about famed Cannes Film Festival.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. You made a grand debut in 2022 at Cannes Film Festival, How was that experience?

A. To be very honest, my first red carpet which was, I think on 17 th of May 2022, I did not go. I reached the red carpet, I still remember I was wearing a black saree and I had gold temple jewelry and I was like very nicely dressed and everything and somebody had said something about the saree, some comment about the way the saree was draped or something, and it just pinched me and I was like, as a person I could have gone to the red carpet but as a representative of my country and representative of Indian brands I couldn't go. I was like right now it's not Iti Acharya walking, right now it's Iti Acharya the actor, the producer, the influencer from India carrying these brands, carrying Indian heritage, a saree, the jewelry, the makeup, the accessory and everything, it's a whole package going on the red carpet.

Q. How Was Your Third Time At Cannes Different From The Time You Made A Debut?

A. Obviously, different! Cannes for everybody I guess, like, I have never met an individual who had had similar experience at Cannes Film Festival although it's a very systematic and very planned event. We plan a lot in advance so that everything is in place. But obviously it's an event where everything is happening live, so everything go out of your control. You need to understand it's a foreign country, there are so many things which are not under our control. Because of that rush and hustle every year Cannes experience turns out to be so different than the previous one.

Q. What's your take on Kelly Rowland's Viral Clash With Security Guards At Cannes 2024

A. You know I was having this conversation with somebody the other day, somebody asked me, "Have you had a similar kind of experience? It must be so bad to be bullied like that on the red carpet." But, then again, you need to understand that these people are working for festival, right? Whatever they do, everything is under camera, so just to assume that one person can take the responsibility and authority and act like a bully on the red carpet is I don't think is justified. I'm sure whatever they are being governed and guided by the festival's higher authority. Why it happens is because of the discipline. Because we don't even realize that there are times for certain red carpets, there were as close to 23,000 people on the red carpet for one show and the entry just opens 1-1.5 hours before the show, even the security personnels are responsible to make sure that all the guests are inside the theater before the show.

Q. What is your take on Aishwarya Rai Bachchan getting heavily trolled at Cannes 2024 red carpet?

A. Heads off to Aishwarya Rai, I mean I don't remember a time when she was not trolled at Cannes. She was one of the first celebs who wore a purple lip shade. So, I was working with Loreal and I was not trolled because a very big person, somebody like her, already opened a path for somebody like me. So I think the trolling which happens there has to be taken on a positive note. It does affect us personally but I'm sure she is big enough and given she is such a majestic human being. She is a goddess, she is a diva.

Q. How did you get a private lounge at Cannes 2024?

A. To be very honest, mujhe v nahi smjh aaya exactly what happened. It might have something to do with the 6 pm Horizon show, as I was late and denied the entry. Obviously my team had put up the mails, asking this has what has happened, in order to compensate for what I missed, they upgraded my ticket.

Q. Give us some inside scoop about Cannes

A. There is a dress code on the red carpet, that is "European formals". They are very very strict about it. A lot of Indians are trolled and said you were not flaunting Indian dress, but let me be honest, a few attire still do not fall in European Formals category for them, definitely a saree is an accepted formal for the festival. I do remember a gentleman, he was wearing a very big robe and I don't know because of some reason he was no allowed at the red carpet. So things happen even if you an invitation, you have a ticket, you have your badge, you have everything in place but right at the time of security those people hold all the power and then can actually stop anyone from entering.