Artist Jagjot Singh Rubal paints portraits of Radhika Merchant (L) and his fiancÈ Anant Ambani, son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, in Amritsar on July 10, 2024, ahead of their wedding. (Photo by Narinder NANU / AFP)
Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, married his longtime girlfriend Radhika Merchant in a lavish ceremony, marking what many have called the wedding of the year.
The celebrations, attended by global celebrities, business tycoons, and politicians, showcased the Ambani family's immense wealth and influence.
The wedding rituals began on Friday and concluded past midnight.
The celebrations took place at the Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai and the family home.
WATCH: The best moments from the first day of Anant & Radhika's wedding:
Months of wedding events culminated in this ceremony, featuring performances by pop stars like Rihanna and Justin Bieber.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a reception hosted by the Ambanis on Saturday evening. The family also organised a “blessing ceremony” for friends and family to meet the couple and wish them a happy married life.
Guests included reality TV star Kim Kardashian, professional wrestler and actor John Cena, former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, former U.S. special envoy for climate John Kerry, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser, and celebrities like Adele, Lana Del Rey, Drake, and David Beckham.
Although the Ambani family did not confirm the guest list, local media reported the names of these high-profile attendees.
Kim and Khloé Kardashian were spotted riding a motorised rickshaw through Mumbai before joining the wedding ceremonies. International guests donned traditional clothes by major Indian designers.
Cena wore a sky-blue sherwani and white trousers, while Nick Jonas sported a pink sherwani and white trousers.
Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor attended the wedding and performed to popular Hindi movie songs.
Indian cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and Jasprit Bumrah were also among the invitees.
The four-day wedding celebrations began on Friday with a traditional Hindu ceremony and was followed by a grand reception throughout the weekend.
Police imposed traffic diversions around the venue to manage the influx of guests, especially with heavy monsoon rains causing flooding and flight disruptions in Mumbai.
The extravagant wedding has sparked discussions about rising inequality in India, where the wealth gap continues to widen. Some Mumbai residents expressed frustration over traffic disruptions caused by the event.
Mukesh Ambani, the father of the groom, is the world’s ninth-richest man, with a net worth of $116 billion (approximately R2.2 trillion).
His company, Reliance Industries, reports over $100 billion (around R1.9 trillion) in annual revenue, with interests in petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecoms, and retail.
The groom, 29-year-old Anant Ambani, oversees the conglomerate’s renewable energy expansion and runs a 1,200-hectare animal rescue centre in Gujarat.
The bride, Radhika Merchant, also 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren Merchant and serves as the marketing director for Encore Healthcare.
In March, they hosted a three-day prenuptial bash with 1,200 guests, including performances by Rihanna, Akon, and Diljit Dosanjh.
In May, they treated guests to a three-day cruise from Italy to France, featuring performances by Katy Perry and Pitbull.
The family also organised a mass wedding for over 50 underprivileged couples as part of the celebrations.
Last week, Justin Bieber performed at a pre-wedding concert attended by Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, and Salman Khan.
IOL Lifestyle
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