Opinion: Alia Bhatt’s Cannes Style is Giving an ‘Ick’ Level of Chhapri It’s Time to Fire the Stylist

I’m just going to say it: Alia Bhatt at Cannes is giving a certain ick level of chhapri.

There, I said it. We expect a certain level of sophistication and global grace from a star of her magnitude, but what we’re seeing on the red carpet right now is a total fashion disaster. If I were her, I would fire my stylist and publicist—pronto.

Worse than the "Kur-fluencers"

It’s honestly shocking. Alia’s look right now feels even more chhapri than the cheapest of the Kurla influencers—or "kur-fluencers," whatever you want to call them. When you go to Cannes, you’re representing the pinnacle of Indian cinema on a global stage. Instead, the aesthetic we’re getting feels uncoordinated, low-effort, and frankly, cringe-inducing.

To put it into perspective: even Gully Boy had more taste. In that film, at least the outfits had some sense of styling; they married the storytelling and served a purpose. But what are these outfits at Cannes even about? I don't understand the vision, because there clearly isn't one.

A Brand in Freefall

The biggest problem I have is that I can’t figure out what she’s trying to be. What is Alia’s brand right now? Is she trying to be a princess? Is she leaning into the "mom" era? Is she a high-fashion experimentalist?

Right now, Alia’s brand is in a freefall. Not even a downfall—a total freefall. There is zero cohesion, zero "wow" factor, and zero sense of identity. It feels like she’s just throwing things on without any understanding of how it impacts her global image.

The Verdict: Fire Them Pronto

Alia is too talented and too big of a star to be let down by such mediocre styling. When your red carpet looks are being outclassed by street-style influencers, you know you have a problem.

If she wants to save her fashion reputation, she needs to make some heads roll. The stylist? Gone. The publicist? Gone. She needs a team that actually understands how to dress a global icon. Because right now, this "ick" level is at an all-time high, and it’s painful to watch.