‘I KNOW I AM GOING TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY AT CANNES’

Aditi Rao Hydari takes us by surprise when she reveals that she is not feeling nervous about making her Cannes debut. All she’s thinking about is “taking in every bit of the magic”. The actor shares, “I was actually supposed to make my debut [at Cannes Film Festival] earlier, but that year, the lockdown happened. At that time, I was excited, but there was a lot of pressure, like about what I would wear... Now, I have a packed schedule because I am doing various things.”

The 35-year-old says that she had indeed been bombarded with questions by a lot of people about her debut at the film festival. But the actor, who has done films in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam, just wants to focus on enjoying the experience.

“I know I might make mistakes, I am going to be watched closely,” she admits, adding, “I am constantly telling myself, ‘Remember, growing up you saw a dream of being at Cannes, being in films, of experiencing this magical thing’. I really just want to be in the moment, take in every bit of the magic that I am surrounded by.”

I have a responsibility towards my work, and to myself, to have fun. I feel lucky to be at Cannes. ADITI RAO HYDARI, Actor

Being on such a global platform must come with its own set of pressures, and the Hey Sinamika! actor agrees: “That’s fine, everybody has to do what they have to do. I do have a responsibility (at Cannes), but I also have a responsibility towards myself, to have fun. I feel lucky that I am at Cannes.”

She adds, “At this point, I am not feeling nervous. I do have butterflies in my stomach, but I cannot allow myself to feel scared. Growing up, I longed to be a part of the film industry, and it was beyond my reach. Today, when I am doing it, I want to enjoy myself. I know fashion is really important; at Cannes, films and fashion go hand in hand. It is a milestone moment. Cannes is a place where the world is shut out, there is only cinema.”