By C. J. De Mel, Jadetimes News
After seven months of extravagant pre wedding celebrations, Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, married pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant in a grand ceremony attended by thousands of guests. The event took place on Friday, drawing a host of celebrities from around the world.
Star Studded Guest List
The wedding attracted numerous high profile guests, including,
Kim and Khloé Kardashian
Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra
Former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson
Bollywood stars Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt
Former President Ram Nath Kovind
Chief Ministers of various Indian states
Members of the Indian cricket team
An Extravagant Affair
No expense was spared by the Ambani family, who own Reliance Industries, India’s largest private corporation. Mukesh Ambani, Anant’s father, is worth over $122 billion, according to Forbes. The wedding was held at the 16,000 capacity Jio World Convention Center in Mumbai, where roads were closed off for the red carpet style arrival event.
Fashion Highlights
Attendees dressed in custom sarees, lehengas, and kurtas, with international guests honoring the traditional dress code. Highlights included,
John Cena in an embroidered sky blue sherwani and white pants
Nick Jonas in a baby pink bouclé style woven sherwani with matching satin trousers
Priyanka Chopra in an intricately embellished sunshine yellow sari
Kim Kardashian in a gold sari with an off the shoulder tasseled bodice
Khloé Kardashian in a red sari with long, ornate sleeves and opulent jewelry
Fashion notables such as stylist Law Roach and designer Prabal Gurung also made striking appearances.
The Couple's Attire
Anant Ambani arrived on the red carpet in a golden sherwani paired with sneakers, later changing for the ceremony. Radhika Merchant wore hand embroidered bridal couture by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, featuring a 16 foot long veil and a seven foot long detachable train. For her “vidai,” she changed into a red and gold ensemble.
Event Highlights
The Jio World Convention Center was transformed into a miniature version of Varanasi, featuring performances by Indian singer Daler Mehndi and Afrobeats star Rema. The Ambani family and celebrities like Chopra and Cena were seen dancing and enjoying the festivities.
Lavish Preparations as Anant Ambani Weds
The Ambani family has been tight lipped about the proceedings, but industry estimates place the wedding costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Designer Manish Malhotra served as the event’s creative director, producing bespoke outfits for the Ambani family. Pre wedding celebrations included,
A "sangeet" with a performance by Justin Bieber
A "haldi" ceremony with traditional blessings
A Mediterranean cruise featuring performances by the Backstreet Boys and Pitbull
Mixed Reactions
The lavish display of wealth elicited mixed reactions from the public. Some criticized the extravagance, while others appreciated the economic boost it provided to local businesses.
Continuing Celebrations
Festivities are set to continue through the weekend at the Ambani family’s 27 story Mumbai residence, Antilia. The schedule includes a “Shubh Ashirwad” ceremony on Saturday and a reception with an “Indian chic” dress code on Sunday, concluding the seven month long celebrations.
