Mumbai is buzzing with excitement at the gates of India's wedding of the year: Billionaire Mukesh Ambani's son Anand Ambani and his fiancee Radhika Merchant will tie the knot from tomorrow. With stars promising luxury and grandeur.
Radhika Merchant, daughter of Indian tycoon Viren Merchant, is the life-long girlfriend of the 29-year-old heir, whose fortune exceeds $110 billion, according to the Forbes list.
“Anand and Radhika have known each other for many years,” after their engagement in 2022, the two families said in a statement, seeking “everyone's blessings and best wishes as Radhika and Anand embark on their journey of togetherness.”
The pre-wedding festivities began last March, with three days of lavish celebrations at a resort owned by the Ambani family in Jamnagar, the city where the couple met, attended by more than 1,200 people.
The event, featuring Rihanna, was attended by Bollywood's biggest stars and celebrities like Bill Gates.
The pre-wedding celebrations don't stop there. In an interview with Vogue, the bride and groom took a lavish four-day Mediterranean cruise in May with 1,200 friends and family that included performances by the Backstreet Boys, David Guetta's DJs, Pitbull and Katy Perry.
Big day
And finally, in true Indian style, the actual wedding begins tomorrow at the Bombay Convention Center owned by Ambani Sr. and will last over three days and many events and traditions.
The invitations are pieces of art with images of Hindu gods chanting a mantra on a large orange chest, and include gifts for guests, which various media have estimated at $5,000 to $7,000 each.
The official list of confirmed participants remains secret, rife with bets and leaks in the Indian media and includes world leaders and public figures in business, media and social networks.
Celebrities such as David and Victoria Beckham, as well as select Bollywood actors Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer have been invited to the event, according to possible guest lists in outlets such as the Times of India. Singh.
The festivities will continue with a blessing ceremony or 'Shub Ashirwad' on July 13 and a grand reception called “Mangal Utsav” on July 14.
A la carte luxury
The wedding menu is expected to be a journey with Indian cuisine known for its street food like the famous kashi chaat bhandar from Benares, along with other options commissioned by a selection of international chefs to showcase India's rich culinary tapestry.
The influx of guests has spurred hotel bookings, especially in areas close to the city's wedding venues, where many five-star hotels are either under-available or completely sold out.
Mumbai Police has issued a traffic advisory from July 12 to 15, anticipating disruption to weddings due to private vehicles ferrying guests.
While the Ambanis have not confirmed the entertainment line-up, the media is betting that international stars like Adele, Lana Del Rey and Drake could take the stage at one of the three-day extravaganza, which begins tomorrow.
On July 5, the country's tabloid press was heavily involved following Justin Bieber's performance at Sangeet, a pre-wedding reception dedicated to music and dance for brides and grooms at weddings in Bollywood's capital. , along with their closest friends and family, take the stage with fantastic choreography.
In 2018, Beyoncé and her eldest son Akash Ambani's wedding to Isha Ambani, the daughter of the Reliance Group chairman, was also featured with Coldplay. EFE
