Popular Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai will soon earn the distinction of being the first Indian actress to be on the jury of the Cannes International Film Festival, starting in France from May 14.

The actress has given her consent to festival president Gilly Jacob to attend the festival as member of the jury, sources close to her told PTI in Mumbai.

Devdas, in which she played the role of Paro, had a special screening at the festival last year.

In another development, the actress had a meeting with the London-based agents of the studio making James Bond movies before she was discharged from the Hinduja Hospital.

"We had a satisfying meeting with the top Indian heroine and if all goes well, she would certainly play the lead role in the next James Bond movie opposite Pierce Brosnan", they told PTI before leaving for London on Wednesday.

"Aishwarya will be coming to London sometime in May to finalise the project," they added.

PTI