Aishwarya Rai to be conferred French honour

“For contribution to cinema”

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was the first Indian actress to be a jury member at Cannes. Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be conferred the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres) on Thursday here by François Richier, Ambassador of France to India, on behalf of the French authorities.

A statement from the French Consulate on Wednesday said, “This prestigious distinction comes in recognition of her invaluable contribution to the world of cinema and the development of Indo-French cooperation in cinema, art, and culture.”

Earlier Indian recipients include Shahrukh Khan, Raghu Rai, Nandita Das, late Habib Tanvir, and Upamanyu Chatterjee. The statement said Ms. Bachchan is known to world audiences for her performances in numerous Hindi and Indian language films, as well as international ones.

Recipient of several Indian film awards, she was also the youngest Indian actress to receive the Padma Shri in 2009. She starred in the film

Devdas in 2002, which was an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival and the most successful Indian movie in France. She was also the first Indian actress to be a jury member at Cannes.

The honour will be conferred on Ms. Bachchan on November 1 on her birthday, in the presence of her family and friends, the statement added.