Though Bollywood has managed to break into the sacred territory of Hollywood but it still needs to go a long way before people start taking it seriously. When Aishwarya arrived at Cannes yesterday she was looking perfect but those who hogged all the lime light inspite of her presence were Meg Ryan, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Monica Belluci. That is where our very own Ash has lost out.

People who have seen Devdas last year still remember her stellar performance and that is the only reason she is on the jury this year. Post-ceremony and opening night screening after, one employee of a leading French television channel who got talking at a cafe opposite the Palais de Festivals was, however, impressed with the Indian actress. "She is simply gorgeous," he says.

The opening ceremony, on its part, was short and sweet. It was a perfect example of how opening ceremonies should be done. No unnecessary hoo-ha, no political or cultural honchos, no speeches, just a quiet tribute to the purity of spirit that Federico Fellini represented as a filmmaker. The entire 56th Cannes Film Festival is a hommage to the Italian master who died ten years ago. ‘Viva il cinema', the words Fellini uttered on winning the 1960 Palme d'Or for La Dolce Vita, is the guiding spirit of this year's edition.