The Cannes Film Festival has always been a catwalk of chaos—feathers, metaphors, and outfits so abstract they could be modern art or wardrobe malfunctions. But in 2025, India decided to drop a diplomatic nuke on France’s fashion parade.
Enter Ruchi Gujjar: model, influencer, and now—brace yourself—unofficial Modi-fied cultural ambassador. Wearing a lehenga with enough sequins to signal satellites, Ruchi turned heads, but it was her pendant that turned policies. Nestled glamorously on her chest was none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s face, staring directly into the lens of Western liberalism and asking, “How’s my foreign policy look today?”
Was it fashion? Was it soft power? Was it soft power dressed as fashion and dripping in nationalism? Who cares—it was viral.
Cannes: Where Cinema Dies and Instagram Lives
Let’s rewind. What is Cannes? Once a regal temple of world cinema, it has devolved into a runway of “who wore it weirder.” Gone are the days of Truffaut tributes; now it’s influencers confusing French journalists with lehengas, crocodile earrings, and the ghost of Satyajit Ray sobbing quietly.
India’s contribution? Red carpets packed with influencers, brands, and hashtags. Art? Eh. Aishwarya’s gown needed scaffolding. Urvashi’s earrings had a license. Ruchi’s necklace? Well, it might start diplomatic negotiations.
Cannes isn’t a film festival anymore. It’s Navratri with subtitles.
Who TF is Ruchi Gujjar and Why is She Wearing the Prime Minister?
Ruchi Gujjar, former Miss Haryana finalist, now Cannes disruptor, influencer, and possibly next External Affairs Minister, showed up draped in nationalism and rhinestones. Her outfit was bedazzled with lotus motifs, and at the heart of it all: Modi-ji, watching over her clavicle like a spiritual guru of GDP growth.
When questioned by the press, she declared: “PM Modi is the face of New India. I just turned him into wearable democracy.”
And just like that, a pendant became a foreign policy event.
Modi Pendant: Haute Couture or Hindutva Chic?
The international media had questions. French fashionistas assumed it was a new Hindu deity. One German blogger thought it was Gandhi. A British tabloid ran the headline: “India Wears Its Leader on Its Sleeve… Literally.”
Was it PR? Patriotism? Or just a desperate attempt to get BJP’s attention ahead of 2029 elections? Nobody knows. But rumor has it, MEA officials are studying the pendant’s impact on bilateral relations.
“We used to send envoys. Now we send accessories,” sighed one retired diplomat.
Cannes 2025: Who Else Wore What and Why?
Aside from the jewelry with electoral ambitions, India’s presence was, as always, somewhere between fabulous and flammable:
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan: Floated in with a gown that doubled as a monsoon preparedness kit.
- Urvashi Rautela: Continued her tradition of making reptiles regret evolution.
- Sobhita Dhulipala: One of the few people who remembered Cannes screens films.
- Nancy Tyagi: DIY couture queen who stitched dreams and algorithms.
- Ankush Bahuguna: Represented beauty influencers with eyeliner sharper than NEET cutoff scores.
But none matched the audacity of turning a political figure into jewelry and walking him down an international carpet.
Internet Loses Mind, Gains Memes
As expected, social media exploded:
- “PM Modi now closer to influencers than opposition MPs.”
- “Next year: Kangana in a sari stitched with Lok Sabha seating chart.”
- “Can’t tell if Cannes or Cabinet reshuffle preview.”
#ModiAtCannes trended in India faster than exit polls. Photoshop artists worked overtime. One meme featured Ruchi’s necklace saying, “Viksit Bharat but make it fashion.”
Public Reactions: From Parliament to Pendants
News channels debated: Is this diplomacy or drama? PR experts hailed it as “next-gen branding.” Congress supporters called it “influencer colonialism.”
One political commentator sighed, “We’ve gone from Modi on billboards to Modi on blouses.”
Meanwhile, rumors of a limited-edition Bharat Branded Accessories line are already making rounds: “Wear Your Leader. Flaunt Your Vote.”
What’s Next: Catwalk to Cabinet?
Is Ruchi joining politics? Is this a campaign trial run? Is India now exporting pop culture policy?
She’s gained followers, headlines, and possibly a Lok Sabha ticket if she keeps this up. If nothing else, she’s proved that foreign policy doesn’t need press briefings—it just needs a really good stylist.
What’s next? Shah Rukh Khan in a coat stitched with the Preamble? Virat Kohli with Article 370 on his collar?
Ruchi Gujjar has officially turned diplomacy into drip-lomacy.
Disclaimer
No Prime Ministers were harmed in the making of this pendant. All satire. Please consult your Election Commission before wearing political figures to international galas or you can chill and continue read more such articles here.