In an era where digital perfection is often the only accepted currency, fashion influencer and content creator Sakshi Sindwani is using her platform to reclaim the narrative. On May 24, Sakshi took to Instagram to debut a meticulous recreation of Alia Bhatt’s Cannes Film Festival 2026 opening night look, using the moment to address a darker reality of online fame: the ‘brutal scrutiny’ of women. Also read | Alia Bhatt shuts down troll saying ‘nobody noticed you at Cannes Film Festival’ with classy response: ‘Why pity love…’
The look: a study in peach and power
The original ensemble, a custom peach couture gown by Tamara Ralph, saw Alia Bhatt as a vision of modern elegance on the French Riviera. The dress featured a dramatic, deep-V sculptural neckline and a floor-sweeping silhouette that balanced softness with architectural precision.
Sakshi’s recreation, a custom design by GKD.edit, captured the essence of the opening night magic. She mirrored Alia’s look with a matching peach-hued gown with a plunging neckline, a flowing, diaphanous train, and intricate jewellery by Diosa Paris, echoing the coral-toned statement necklace worn by Alia Bhatt. She paired it with similar effortless, wind-swept waves and a soft, sun-kissed makeup palette.
‘Internet has had a lot to say about my body’
Despite the visual triumph of the photoshoot, Sakshi’s caption revealed the emotional toll of maintaining a public presence. She launched her popular #smurecreates series to democratise fashion, but shared that she has recently noticed the feedback has become vitriolic.
“I’m being called ugly a lot recently in my DMs… Over the last few weeks, the internet has had a lot to say about my body, my face, my scars, and honestly what not. DMs are particularly cruel,” Sakshi wrote. She highlighted a poignant shift in the creator economy, where the pressure to please an algorithm often suffocates personal expression. “Somewhere between numbers, algorithms, and ‘influence,’ creating content can start feeling less like art and more like survival,” she added.
The solidarity of scrutiny
Interestingly, Sakshi found a sense of kinship in the way even global icons like Alia Bhatt are treated by the public eye. Watching the ‘picking apart’ of Alia during her Cannes appearance served as a catalyst for Sakshi to stop shrinking herself to fit societal moulds: “Seeing even someone as accomplished as Alia be picked apart during Cannes made me realise how brutal the scrutiny on women really is, no matter who you are.” She added, “I think a part of me deeply related to that feeling of not wanting to be judged before you’re even seen.”
Sakshi’s post is more than a fashion tribute; it is a manifesto for body neutrality and visibility. By recreating a look designed for a ‘sample size’ world on her own terms, she challenged the notion that high fashion belongs to a singular body type. “For me, it was never about looking like a celebrity,” Sakshi explained. “It was about reminding people that fashion, beauty, confidence, and self-expression belong to every body type. That you are not lesser than anyone because of how you look,” she added.
‘This is so raw, honest, and powerful’
The reaction to Sakshi’s post was a wave of digital solidarity, with Instagram followers praising her resilience in the face of brutal commentary: “You look beautiful, Sakshi, and I love seeing you being strongly you,” one Instagram user wrote.
Another added, “This is so raw, honest, and powerful. Your art and your message are much needed in this superficial digital world.” A third highlighted her impact, commenting, “You are an inspiration to so many… I show them your profile and tell them about how confident you are.”
In a world that often demands women be smaller, quieter, or ‘perfected’ by filters, Sakshi’s refusal to hide her scars or her silhouette is a vital reminder that visibility is, in itself, an act of courage. As she put it: “I do not need to fit in to deserve visibility.”
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