Issh! The latest buzzword in Cannes Devdas and more in the festival.

Kryztoff de Breza in Cannes

The morning after Devdas world premiere, Issh is the new buzzword at Cannes. The expression, used by Bengali women typically when they are coy or have done something wrong, was on the lips of several French women here today, after having watched Aishwarya, Madhuri and half a dozen other women use the word so often in Devdas.

In fact, the word is also used in a song Bairi Piya. "What does it mean? Is it Arabic? But I love the sound of it!" said a young woman at the Press Centre.

The Film Festival is a great business opportunity not only the entertainment industry at Cannes but also the hotels, taxis and several other aspects of the local economy. The hotels hike their rates two or three folds during the festival, sure of being overbooked through the 12-day festival. The taxis and the restaurants have special rates for the festival. But these are old businesses.

A new business opportunity has arisen and is waiting for anyone to tap it. The business of bow ties.

As the Cannes organisers retain some of their snobbish habits, they strictly enforce the rule of a tuxedo and a bow tie for men wanting to see a film in the main venue, the Grand Theatre. And each year, as thousands of visitors turn up at Cannes, bow ties disappear rapidly from shop shelves.

In fact, the demand is so high that yesterday, several principal stores, including the Spanish fashion house Zara, ran out of bow ties, forcing customers to buy even more upmarket brands like Armand Thierry.

More on Cannes 2002:
Why Shah Rukh believes in competing only with himself
Why Devdas is a troublesome, but dear child
Indian delegation happy at Cannes
A Kapoor moment at Cannes
Ash shines at Cannes
India's first animation gets Cannes nod
Devdas' moment of fame at Cannes