Actor-politician Kangana Ranaut has come out strongly in support of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan after the latter faced online criticism over her recent appearances at the Cannes Film Festival.Taking to Instagram Stories on Sunday, Kangana slammed trolls targeting Aishwarya’s looks and weight, while stressing that fashion is a personal form of expression and women do not need to cater to public expectations.

‘No woman owes anything to anyone’

Sharing Aishwarya’s Cannes picture, Kangana wrote, “Fashion and style is a self expression, it is one’s own interpretation of life and their attitude, no woman owes anything to anyone, Ash looks great!!”

The Queen actress further challenged critics to do better instead of tearing someone down. “Those of you who want to see her any other way, why don’t you show what you got?? She is not here to please you, she is glorious,” she wrote.

Kangana calls out ageism on red carpets

Kangana also pointed out the ageist undertones in the criticism surrounding Aishwarya’s red carpet appearances. “If you are not used to seeing older women on red carpets, get used to them now,” she added.The debate around Aishwarya’s Cannes looks intensified recently after social media users compared her appearances to those of Alia Bhatt, who made headlines for her outings at the festival this year. While some users praised Alia’s fashion choices, others defended Aishwarya, noting that she has represented India at Cannes for over two decades.

Aishwarya’s Cannes looks grab attention

This year marked Aishwarya’s 24th appearance at the prestigious film festival. For her first outing, the Devdas star wore a custom blue gown by designer Amit Aggarwal, styled with diamond jewellery and a dramatic stole.She later appeared in a pastel pink draped ensemble featuring floral embellishments and flowing cape sleeves, before rounding off her Cannes appearances in a chic white pantsuit paired with a feather wrap stole.Meanwhile, Kangana is gearing up for the release of her upcoming drama Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata. Directed by Manoj Tapadia, the film revolves around the courage shown by hospital staff during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks and is slated to release on June 12.