BAFTA 2026: Before Alia Bhatt, 2 Bollywood actresses lit up the stage as presenters

All eyes are on Alia Bhatt at the moment. The actress, who was last seen in the 2024 Vasan Bala directorial Jigra, is set to take the stage as the presenter of the 79th BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Film Awards, alongside Cillian Murphy and Kate Hudson. The glittery ceremony, dubbed as one of the most prestigious nights of the global film calendar, will unfold at the iconic Royal Festival Hall in London. As fans await with bated breath to watch Alia grace the grand platform, here’s a look at two Bollywood actresses who represented India at the BAFTAs.

Priyanka Chopra’s BAFTA 2021 moment

Priyanka Chopra commanded attention as a debut presenter at BAFTA 2021. She shared the honour with other big Hollywood stars, including Hugh Grant, Tom Hiddleston, Pedro Pascal, Cynthia Erivo, Phoebe Dynevor, Felicity Jones, James McAvoy and Richard E. Grant, among others. The 43-year-old, who is currently making waves with her The Bluff press tour, presented the EE BAFTA category aka the Rising Star Award that welcomed new talent.

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Priyanka Chopra stole the spotlight in not one but two gorgeous ensembles for the 2-day gala. Her main OOTN was a form-fitting black gown. The deep-scooped number was adorned with a multi-coloured butterfly-shaped embellishment at the centre, offering a pop of colour to the monochrome silhouette. PeeCee also rocked a vibrant pink floral embroidered jacket paired with draped white bottoms, looking like the diva that she is.

Deepika Padukone at BAFTA 2024

Priyanka Chopra’s Bajirao Mastani co-star also made quite the impression at the 2024 BAFTA Awards. If you haven’t guessed it already, we are talking about Deepika Padukone, who grabbed the limelight while presenting an award in the Film Not In The English Language category. The 40-year-old honoured director Jonathan Glazer with the award for his film The Zone Of Interest.

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The star-studded line-up of presenters also included Hugh Grant, Dua Lipa, Idris Elba and Andrew Scott. Deepika Padukone embraced Indian charm as she sashayed down the ramp in a glittering white saree that she teamed up with a matching backless blouse, sending her admirers swooning

BAFTA 2026: When and where to watch

BAFTA 2026 will go live in the early hours of February 23 for Indian viewers. The event will also air on the BBC iPlayer. The award show begins at 7 pm GMT, which translates to 12:30 am IST on Monday, February 23, 2026. US viewers can watch it at 2 pm EST on February 22.