Chopard and Entrepreneur Tongya Host Star-Studded Cannes Gala for Indian Cinema Philanthropy

A landmark philanthropic evening unfolded atop the Hôtel Martinez in Cannes on May 19, 2026, when Chopard Co-President Caroline Scheufele and entrepreneur Rishabh Tongya came together to present the Golden Soirée—an elegant celebration intertwining the artistic richness of Indian cinema with charitable giving.

Designed as what organisers described as a "party with a purpose," the rooftop gala drew an international constellation of VIP guests spanning cinema, business, art, and music from India, the Gulf, and Europe. The event's conceptual foundation rested on the shared conviction that cinema and philanthropy both possess the transformative capacity to forge human connections across cultural, generational, and geographical boundaries.

The evening unfolded through layers of artistic expression. Archana Vijaya Puri served as host, guiding guests through carefully curated film screenings and live performances. The programme featured an unexpected highlight: an appearance by Indian music sensation Badshah, whose performance punctuated the evening's cultural narrative.

A carefully assembled charity auction formed the centrepiece of fundraising efforts. The auction block featured an array of coveted items, from debut pieces in Chopard's Happy Diamonds and Happy Sport India Edition collections to a bespoke Caroline Couture creation, an exclusive Chopard High Jewellery diamond parure, and a private hotel experience at the storied 1, Place Vendôme in Paris. Both Scheufele and Tongya contributed these items jointly to the auction.

Remarks from prominent figures punctuated the evening. Petra Nemcova, Natalia Kapchuk, Abbas Sajwani, and Prince Charles Henri de Lipkowitz each spoke to the work of the organisations benefiting from the night's proceeds. The auction itself attracted spirited bidding from a roster of distinguished international patrons, among them Abbas H. Sajwani, Vikram Shroff, Sajal Garg, Loujain Adada Juffali, and Samay Manyal.

The five recipient foundations—All Hands and Hearts, BMVSS Jaipur Foot, The OpenAg Foundation, The Hussain Sajwani–DAMAC Foundation, and The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation—received the evening's full charitable proceeds with no overhead deductions.

The gala concluded with a final tally of €410,000 raised for the supported organisations. Tongya conceived the Golden Soirée as a platform embodying his conviction that emotion, generosity, and human connection possess singular power to unite disparate communities and cultures across boundaries.