(March 4, 2023) The world fawned over actress Jennifer Aniston’s Indian look in the upcoming movie, Murder Mystery 2. Dressed in an intricately embroidered white lehenga, from Indian designer Manish Malhotra, the actress looks stunning in the film’s trailer. But while fans are going gaga over the look, this is not the first time that an international celeb has been seen donning an Indian designer’s creation. Come to think of it, the last few years have seen tremendous growth in the Indian fashion and movie industries, with our celebrities and artists representing India on various international platforms.
Jennifer Aniston in an intricately embroidered white lehenga by Manish Malhotra
On one hand, we have celebrities including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra, who have been able to make a name for themselves in the international movie industry and open doors for many Indian artists to work abroad. On the other hand, we have celebrity designers who are now taking the Indian handloom craft to various international fashion weeks, giving Indian artisans the credit they have been denied for a long time. To top all this, with brilliant movies like RRR, which have done exceedingly well in foreign film festivals, you have a win-win situation for India’s soft power. As these celebrities and artists make us proud, Global Indian takes a look at how these soft powers are helping ‘Brand India’ climb higher and reach new heights.
Deepika Padukone to present Oscars 2023
When she first appeared on the Cannes red carpet in 2010, actress Deepika Padukone received a mixed reaction from various fashion critics, who while praising her style, added that she might have done better with her look. But, since then, it seems that the actress has just consistently upped her styling game. Having represented India on various international platforms, the diva recently announced that she will present an award at the upcoming Oscars 2023, alongside several big Hollywood names, such as Samuel L Jackson, Glenn Close, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B Jordan, Janelle Monae, Zoe Saldana, Jennifer Connelly, Riz Ahmed, and Melissa McCarthy.
The actress, who started her Hollywood journey with the action film XXX: Return of Xander Cage in 2017, is prepping for her second untitled movie in the US. Set to be a cross-cultural romantic comedy, the film is being developed by STXfilms and Temple Hill, a studio that counts titles like The Fault in Our Stars, the Twilight franchise, and Love, Simon in its repertoire. The global star is also the first Indian to be appointed as the brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton, and the latest face of Cartier.
‘Naatu Naatu’ to take the centre stage at the Academy Awards
The Academy Award is a star-studded night, with several marvelous performers taking to the stage to entertain fans not just in the US, but across the globe. And this year, singers Rahul Sipligunj and Kaala Bhairava will represent India at the biggest movie awards night of the year. Performing the Golden Globe-winning song, Naatu Naatu from RRR, the singers are going to share the stage with mighty sensations Rihanna and Lady Gaga.
RRR‘s Naatu Naatu has been nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Music category
But that is not all for India. The song has also been nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Music (Original Song) category, against This Is A Life from Everything Everywhere All at Once, Applause from Tell It Like a Woman, Lift Me Up from Black Panther, and others. Naatu Naatu has already won quite a few major awards. In January, the song won the Golden Globes in the Best Original Song category. It again bagged the Best Song at the 28th edition of the Critics Choice Awards, along with Best Foreign Language Film.
Gaurav Gupta styling ace international celebrities
There was a time when Indian celebrities would arrive for the red carpet dressed in various international brands. But the past few years have witnessed a revolution in the Indian fashion industry, bringing forth several designers, who are loved in the country as well as abroad. One such fashion icon is Delhi-based designer, Gaurav Gupta, who has styled various international celebrities – and quite recently was the brain behind Cardi B’s iconic blue gown at the 2023 Grammys.
American rapper Cardi B in Gaurav Gupta’s design
Known for his experimental sculpted designs, Gaurav’s custom design for Cardi B was hailed as an ‘actual piece of art’ by several international fashion critics. The designer, who has designed for several stars, including Australian singer Kylie Minogue, Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, and American actor Jeremy Pope, recently presented his latest collection, Shunya, at the Paris Haute Couture Week 2023 – which signals the growing international status of the Indian couturier.
Rahul Mishra’s bold designs rule the Paris Haute Couture Week 2023
One of the only Indian designers who presented his collection on day one of Paris Haute Couture Week in the French capital, Rahul Mishra is surely climbing the heights in the international fashion scene. Rahul’s collection – titled ‘Cosmos’ – was a fantastical rendering of an underwater kingdom that explored the idea of our place within the cosmos.
Rahul Mishra, the first Indian fashion designer to showcase at the Paris Haute Couture Week
Considered one of Asia’s leading stylists, whose works have been modelled by Michelle Yeoh, Viola Davis, and other top film stars, Rahul has already made a mark in Paris and global retail, with editorials and red carpets filled with celeb appearances in his creations.
First Indian influencers at New York Fashion Week
It’s not just the ace celebs and fashion designers, even the influencers from India are taking the country’s brand ahead, representing it on various international platforms. Quite recently, Delhi-based husband-wife duo, Gaurav Taneja and Ritu Rathee Taneja became the first Indian influencers to walk the ramp at New York Fashion Week.
Gaurav and Ritu Taneja at the NYFW
Celebrating designer Archana Kochhar, the team further increased the representation of Indian influencer presenters on global platforms by roping in #meninskirt fame Jainil Mehta to open the show with a poetic freestyle dance. The show highlighted the importance of sustainability in fashion and focuses on handmade locally grown textiles with a low carbon footprint curated by women weavers from the interiors of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Ravinder Singh Bopara[/caption]
Muttiah Muralitharan[/caption]
Keshav Athmanand Maharaj[/caption]
Shivnarine Chanderpaul[/caption]
Ish Sodhi[/caption]
Hashim Mohammad Amla[/caption]
Vikramjit Singh[/caption]
Anupam Tripathi on the sets of 
Anupam Tripathi wearing the traditional Korean attire, Hanbok[/caption]
Anupam Tripathi in a scene from the Squid Game series[/caption]
Anupam Tripathi 
The co-founders of Infosys[/caption]
Bharat Mirle[/caption]
A still from the film with Dhruv Athreye (left)[/caption]
Prafulla wth Dr Abdul Kalam after winning the National Talent Search Scholarship[/caption]
Prafulla during his student days in the U.S.[/caption]
