Anupria Goenka shares insights into theme, messaging of her Cannes red carpet outfit
Mumbai, May 24
Actress Anupria Goenka, who made her debut at the red carpet of the ongoing Cannes Film Festival, has shared the details behind the theme of her outfit or the occasion.
Her film 'Bombay Stories' was screened at the Marche du Film (Cannes Film Market) section of the festival, The film is based on Saadat Hasan Manto's short story 'Hatak', and featured Anupria in the role of a sex worker, and staying true to the theme of the film and her character, the actress made a powerful statement through her red carpet appearance.
For her Cannes red carpet look, Anupria chose to use the global platform to voice a cause she deeply believes in "My Body, My Choice".
She said, "Since it's such a big stage, I wanted to utilise it to make a statement which is cause-driven and use this opportunity to say something that I truly believe in. 'My body, my choice'. As a woman, my body is my choice, and we tried portraying that statement through Indian attire".
Her outfit was an Indo-Western fusion featuring intricate ajrakh embroidery paired with a sari-inspired silhouette. The ensemble symbolised two contrasting perceptions of women in society. One side of the blouse featured full sleeves and elegant embroidery, portraying the image of a "prim and proper" woman as viewed by society, while the other side created a bare-chest illusion effect, highlighting how society perceives the same woman differently based solely on presentation. The flip side of the outfit also carried the message "My Body My Choice".
The outfit was predominantly white, symbolising the purity often expected of women, while splashes of red through ajrakh detailing represented how society stains that purity through judgement.
Elaborating on the concept, Anupria shared, "It highlights that it's the mentality that decides a woman's position, not her attire".
She also expressed how working on Bombay Stories gave her a deeper understanding of the realities faced by sex workers.
"I hoped the message that a woman's body is the woman's choice alone came across through my outfit and more so, through our film. It was a huge opportunity to express that on such a global stage", she added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
While I appreciate the message, isn't this a bit contradictory? She's making a statement about body autonomy while participating in an event that objectifies women on the red carpet. Also the "bare chest illusion" - isn't that still playing to the male gaze? Just saying.
The ajrakh embroidery and sari silhouette - absolutely stunning! 🇮🇳 So proud to see Indian craftsmanship getting global recognition. And the message behind it is powerful. In our country, we still have so many restrictions on what women can wear. Kudos to Anupria for speaking up! 🙏
Her film is about a sex worker and she's wearing a "My Body My Choice" outfit - that's powerful. But I think the real conversation should be about how we treat sex workers in India. We're fine with the concept but not the reality. Let's see if this film changes that.
Design and concept are thought-provoking! But I wonder - would the same message be accepted if an actress wore something similar at a local award function? At Cannes it's "art", at home it would be "vulgar". That's the double standard she's talking about, right? 😅
Honestly, this feels like more of the same celebrity activism. These statements rarely translate into real change. But I'll give her credit for at least linking it to her film's subject matter instead of just wearing a random slogan. The ajrakh work is beautiful though.
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