Preity Zinta returns to Cannes after 17 years

Preity Zinta is part of the Indian delegation attending the Cannes Film Festival this year. The actress, who departed for the French Riviera on Wednesday, is set to make her inaugural appearance at the event, though she has not yet walked the red carpet.

On Friday, a video emerged on social media showing Preity Zinta preparing to grace the red carpet. In the footage, she struck a pose for a boomerang, dressed in a dazzling pearl white gown. Her ensemble was accentuated with pearl earrings, and her hair was elegantly tied back. With the riverside as her backdrop, Preity exuded elegance as she posed for the camera.

The actress is attending the Cannes Film Festival to present the Pierre Angenieux ExcelLens in Cinematography award to her longtime collaborator, Santosh Sivan. Their collaboration dates back to her debut film, Mani Ratnam's romantic drama "Dil Se" (1998), where Santosh served as the cinematographer. The two have now reunited for Preity's first film in seven years, Rajkumar Santoshi's upcoming period drama "Lahore 1947".

During an interview with DD India at the Cannes Film Festival, Preity Zinta reminisced about Santosh Sivan's remarkable talent, which made her look radiant in "Dil Se" despite Mani Ratnam's directive for a no-makeup appearance. 

She fondly recalled how Santosh pampered her during the shooting of the song "Jiya Jale" and said, "While we were shooting in Kerala, the song had a little light rain. You don't really see the rain, but it was there. So in the four days there, my bones were hurting in the rain, I had a fever, and I wasn't feeling well. Santosh came and got me rasam and all the food, and said, 'Why don't you eat this? It's hot.' He was really sweet and took care of me."

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Preity Zinta made her debut at the Cannes Film Festival in 2006, where she attended the premieres of "The Wind That Shakes The Barley" and "Paris, Je T'aime". She made a return to the festival in 2013, as the brand ambassador for the luxury watch brand, Chopard. 

Her upcoming project is the film "Lahore 1947".