How Nidhi Sunil Showcased Indian Artisanship At Cannes

Who is Nidhi Sunil? Indian actor and philanthropist Nidhi Sunil made her international red carpet debut at the 74th annual Cannes Film Festival for the screening of her upcoming film All Went Well. For her debut at the festival, which commenced on July 6, the New York-based Malayali model walked the red carpet in a white gown by Rabih Kayrouz and chose a Rahul Mishra dress for the gala opening night. Ever since her Cannes debut, Sunil is being hailed for showcasing Indian artisanship at the global event.

The 33-year-old model from Kerala has been a role model for many young people in India over the years. Taking to her Instagram, the activist shared how "honoured" she was to have the opportunity to wear Mishra, who according to her is "one of the most incredible couturiers and also the nicest human being, always pushing for recognition of indian artisanship and employing them under fair working conditions."

Who is Nidhi Sunil?

Model, actor and activist Sunil is known for her role as Samira in the drama film Kaash which was released in the year 2015. She also featured in a film titled Gangoobai before spearheading many advertising campaigns. Before she became a model, Sunil was practising environmental law. She switched her profession as a model and actor in 2011.

Sunil is a previous recipient of Vogue India’s Model of the year award. She was the first model from India to be appointed as the Global Ambassador of L'Oréal Paris.

Sunil had in her initial days participated in the reality show Channel V Get Gorgeous. She has overcome many roadblocks throughout her career. When in India, she was often criticised for her height and skin tone. Nidhi sunil was told she was too dark for commercial campaigns and too short for the runway, standing at five feet six inches of height.

In an interview with Firstpost, she said her stint in Mumbai was full of struggles, but now as an ambassador of one of the biggest conglomerates in the world, "it’s great to be in a position where you don’t have to worry about your finances," said the Malayali, who was born in Kochi and brought up in Bengaluru.

Before making it big, Sunil turned to fashion. After bagging her first project with Maire Claire, she started getting featured on the covers of fashion magazines such as Elle, Grazia, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and even Vogue, which had rejected her earlier, gave her the spotlight. In 2017, it conferred her the Model of the Year award.

“I like learning, and so I enjoyed through different mediums and platforms,” the curiosity, according to her, also led her to the movies. However, the 33-year-old told The Hindu that for someone in her space, there is little to no work in Indian cinema. "All I could do was be part of indie films," she said. In 2015, she moved to New York and joined the agency Wilhelmina Models. Leaving Mumbai was a difficult decision to make but going to a city and a country where it is competitive was exciting for the young model. She was a little worried about starting from scratch but she said "that’s really who I am as a person. I always choose change." Sunil signed on with One Management in 2018.

Subsequently, she became the face of Espirit. “I’ve always had to advocate for myself as a woman of colour, even in my own country,” she claimed adding that India has this "strange colonial hangover" where people prefer white skin, even if most of the people have dark skin colour. "I’ve had to fight for myself.” She was chosen for L’Oréal at a time when the brand is committed to amplifying representation and inclusivity in the beauty business. Now, she aims to empower women through various projects.

The former environmental attorney is the spokesperson and an advisory board member, for the Invisible Girl Project, an organisation that aims to end "female gendercide in India". She is also outspoken about colourism, having written a piece on the topic for Dazed magazine in 2019.