PIX: Amitabh Bachchan, Leo at Great Gatsby Cannes premiere

Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby opened the 66th Cannes Film Festival amidst much fanfare, a tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema and scores of fans waiting to catch a glimpse of Amitabh Bachchan in the French Riviera.

Bachchan, who plays a small but significant role in the film, joined leading man Leonardo DiCaprio on the red carpet.

Click NEXT to see the stars at the screening.

DiCaprio opened the show with Bachchan ahead of the film's much awaited screening at the ceremony hosted by designated Festival Mistress, French actress Audrey Tautou.

While DiCaprio opted for a traditional tuxedo for the evening, the Big B went for a more flambouyant sequinned jacket.

Bachchan, who plays a brief yet significant role in The Great Gatsby, delivered a short speech in Hindi, thanking festival organisers for their tribute to 100 years of Indian cinema.

Meanwhile, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who was expected to attend the screening, is apparently on her way.

'Media tomorrow, and then wait for the 'bahurani' to arrive with 'bitiya', meet them and get on plane back to London and then home !!' Bachchan updated on his Twitter profile.

Big B fans waited eagerly at the opening ceremony with a collage of some of his memorable films to catch a glimpse of their favourite star.

An overwhlemed Bachchan tweeted, 'With the entire world film fraternity at Cannes, applauding and welcoming our presence, treating us like Royalty .. its emotional !

'For a complete alien in the midst of Cannes to be acknowledged, is the proudest moment for me as an Indian,' he added.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo actress Rooney Mara arrives for the screening in a monochrome look.

Jennifer Meyer joins actor husband Tobey McGuire, who plays Nick Carraway in the film, on the red carpet.

Director Baz Luhrmann and production designer wife Catherine Martin are all smiles.

Luhrmann had, in an interview, credited Cannes for his career taking off.

Actress Carey Mulligan joins her onscreen love interest Leonardo DiCaprio on the red carpet in a pale gown and red lips.

Actress and cast member Isla Fisher overshadows the red carpet, and pretty much everything else, in her gorgeous tiered red gown.

Former Baywatch actor David Hasselhof arrives with Hayley Roberts.

Jury members Christoph Waltz, Vidya Balan, Ang Lee, Lynne Ramsay, Steven Spielberg, Naomi Kawase, Cristian Mungiu, Daniel Auteui and Nicole Kidman attend the screening.

Former supermodel Cindy Crawford strikes her best pose for the shutterbugs.