Aishu: I'm Happy Sonam Is Invited to Cannes

Three Indian actresses - Aishwarya Rai, Sonam Kapoor and Freida Pinto - will walk the red carpet at Cannes this year on different ocassions. Ash, a regular at the prestigious gala for last 10 years, feels with "both beautiful women" India will have a "stronger presence".

"Several countries have always had more than one L'Oreal Paris spokeswoman at Cannes and I'm glad India is finally getting the same recognition. I am happy that with Sonam and Freida, both beautiful women, being invited to the festival this year, India will have a stronger presence, which is a clear sign of the growing importance of the country," Ash said in a statement.

Aishwarya, who celebrates a decade of representing L'Oreal Paris at Cannes, will walk the red carpet at the opening ceremony of 64th Cannes International Film Festival May 11. She will also attend the opening gala cocktail and dinner. She is scheduled to attend various events the next day.

"Being at Cannes for L'Oreal Paris has been an absolute pleasure and to experience this for the 10th consecutive year has been quite overwhelming," she said.

The three Indian beauties will represet India for cosmetic brand L'Oreal Paris at Cannes and for the first time the brand is taking three spokeswomen representing India to the event.

L'Oreal Paris has been the official make-up artist of the festival for 14 years and this is the first year Freida and Sonam will represent it at Cannes.

Sonam, who will walk the red carpet May 15, said: "It has always been my dream to walk the red carpet at Cannes and it is soon going to be a reality thanks to L'Oreal Paris. I look forward to meeting actors and filmmakers from the world over and attending screenings of some interesting films. But what excites me the most is meeting the L'Oreal Paris international dream team of make-up artistes and seeing how they transform me for one of the most glamorous red carpets in the world."

Freida will represent L'Oreal at the amfAR (The American Foundation for AIDS Research) dinner and after-party May 19. The event, co-sponsored by the brand, aims at raising money for the fight against AIDS.

"It is every actor's dream to attend this festival but I am especially privileged as I also get to lend my support to an important cause by attending the amfAR dinner when I'm there," said Frieda