At the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, Alia Bhatt walked the Bharat Pavilion in an ivory Tarun Tahiliani ensemble inspired by Indian drapes and corsetry. But alongside the structured silhouette, lace parasol and embroidered detailing, one accessory stood out instantly: the nath.
In Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light (2024), Chhaya Kadam wears her mother’s nath in a quietly emotional moment that ties memory, identity and heritage together on screen. The film went on to win the Grand Prix at Cannes 2024.
For years, the nose ring has appeared in weddings, classical portraits, Bollywood films and family jewellery boxes. But at Cannes, the nath entered another global fashion conversation. It was not styled as costume. It was worn like identity.
The moment also raised an interesting question. How did a small nose ring become one of India’s most recognisable pieces of jewellery?
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Before Piercings Became Aesthetic
Long before nose piercings became fashion trends on Instagram or Pinterest, they carried cultural and medicinal meaning in South Asia.
Historical records suggest nose piercing entered the Indian subcontinent around the 16th century through Persian and Mughal influences. Over time, different regions across India adapted it into their own traditions. According to research published in ShodhKosh, the practice became closely tied to ideas of beauty, womanhood and social identity in Indian communities.
In Ayurveda, the left nostril was associated with reproductive health. This belief influenced why many women traditionally pierced the left side of the nose before marriage. While modern medicine does not officially support these claims, the association stayed rooted in cultural practice for generations.
Soon, the nath became more than jewellery. It signalled community, marital status, region and even economic background.
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One Jewellery Piece, Many Identities
The nath never had one standard design.
In Maharashtra, the curved Brahmani nath became iconic in bridal fashion. In Rajasthan, oversized rings with chains reflected royal influence. Kashmiri brides wore the elaborate dejhoor-inspired nose ornaments, while South Indian styles often stayed smaller and minimal.
Even today, you can often identify regional roots through the design of a nose ring.
The nath evolved differently across states because jewellery traditions were deeply connected to local craftsmanship and customs. Goldsmiths, pearl workers and stone setters each added regional signatures to the ornament.
That is partly why the nath survived changing fashion eras. It kept adapting without losing its original identity.
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Bollywood Influence Of Nath
Indian cinema played a huge role in taking the nath beyond rituals.
From period dramas to 1990s wedding films, the nose ring became shorthand for grace, rebellion or romance. Actresses across generations wore different versions of it on screen, making it aspirational for younger audiences.
Then came the fusion era.
By the 2010s, stylists paired naths with gowns, streetwear and Indo-Western outfits. Music festivals, bridal shoots and fashion campaigns started treating the nose ring less like a traditional obligation and more like a styling choice.
What changed was not the ornament itself. It was the meaning attached to it.
For older generations, the nath often represented custom. For younger wearers, it became a personal expression.
From Bridal Jewellery To Everyday Fashion
Today, the nath exists in multiple forms.
Tiny nose pins are part of daily wear. Septum rings have entered alternative fashion spaces. Bridal naths still dominate wedding styling. Luxury jewellers now sell diamond nose pins as statement accessories rather than ceremonial jewellery.
According to Natural Diamonds, nose jewellery also became more visible globally because younger South Asian consumers started reclaiming traditional pieces through modern fashion language.
That shift matters.
Instead of replacing Indian jewellery with Western trends, many young people are styling heritage pieces differently. A nose ring with denim. A saree with sneakers. A nath with couture at Cannes.
The accessory moves across generations without fully belonging to one.
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Why The Nath Still Feels Relevant
Fashion trends usually return because they look good. The nath returns because it carries memory.
It connects jewellery to migration, cinema, weddings, beauty standards and personal identity all at once. It also reflects how Indian fashion keeps evolving globally without disconnecting from its roots.
And maybe that is the story of the nath itself.
A centuries-old ornament that still keeps finding new ways to belong.
