The son of the richest man in India, Anant Ambani, tied the knot with pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant in front of hundreds of guests on Friday, capping seven months of lavish pre-wedding festivities.
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, Kim and Khloé Kardashian, former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, and other well-known figures were among those who took a plane to Mumbai to attend the glamorous function. Many of the most well-known figures in Indian politics, business, entertainment, and sport attended the wedding as well. These included former president Ram Nath Kovind, chief ministers from several states, Bollywood actors Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt, and numerous players from the nation’s renowned cricket team.
The Ambanis, the family that owns Reliance Industries, the largest private company in India, spared no expense. The corporation was started by Anant’s grandparents, and his father Mukesh, who is valued at over $122 billion by Forbes, is currently in charge of it.
Ahead of a red carpet-style arrival celebration, police in Mumbai’s pouring rain barricaded the roads around the Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Center, which has a capacity of 16,000 people. Visitors looked the part, flowing past photographers in designer kurtas, lehengas, and sarees at what may become a fashion event for Indian weddings.
Many of the foreign visitors adhered to the customary dress code by donning creations by well-known Indian fashion designers. On the red carpet, Jonas looked stunning in a baby pink sherwani that was constructed of a bouclé-style woven cloth laced with sequins, while John Cena looked dapper in an embroidered sky blue sherwani and white pants. Priyanka Chopra, an actor, arrived with her spouse Jonas. Priyanka chose to wear a sunlit yellow sari with beautiful embroidery.
The fashion set was also very much in evidence. Longtime Zendaya stylist Law Roach showed up in a purple tunic, mauve velvet jacket, and gold-toed Schiaparelli shoes, while designer and mainstay of New York Fashion Week Prabal Gurung sported an aviator sunglass and a rose-colored sherwani.
Kim and Khloé Kardashian were spotted on social media wearing red and gold saris, respectively, despite not showing up for the red carpet. While Khloé wore an extravagant maang tikka, layered necklaces, and long, elaborate sleeves, Kim wore an off-the-shoulder tasseled bodice. Kim hinted that their film team was coming for a “The Kardashians” episode in her Instagram story.
Entering the location, which was remodeled to resemble the revered Indian city of Varanasi, stars including Chopra and Cena were spotted having a good time dancing. Members of the Ambani family were also seen dancing on stage with Indian musician Daler Mehndi in footage that was extensively circulated on social media. Rema, the Afrobeats artist, was one of the other performers that evening.
Regarding the couple itself, the groom initially showed up on the red carpet wearing sneakers and a platinum sherwani, which he changed into for the ceremony. The bride looked stunning in bridal attire with hand embroidery by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, an Indian brand. Merchant wore an extravagant red-trimmed ivory ensemble, adhering to the Gujarati tradition of wearing red and white. Her stylist Rhea Kapoor revealed a first glimpse on Instagram, revealing a 16-foot-long veil embellished with sequins and stones and a long ghagra, or traditional skirt, with a nearly seven-foot-long detachable train.
Prior to her “vidai,” an elaborate red and gold ensemble of a woven blouse, lehenga, veil, and embroidered head covering, Indian brides formally bid farewell to their relatives and join their groom’s family.
Anant’s mother Nita Ambani described a recent journey to Varanasi, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where she asked for blessings for the couple, in a video that was shared on social media on Friday morning. Her objective was to “reimagine and present the purity, positivity and beauty of Varanasi at the wedding,” and she further mentioned that the occasion will honor India’s rich cultural legacy, which has been brought to life by several craftsmen, including weavers and crafters.
Additionally, it was disclosed that the gown that Nita Ambani wore on the red carpet of the occasion took over 40 days to make. The couture house Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, along with artisans Vijay Kumar and Monika Maurya, designed the unique peach silk ghagra.
A lavish affair
The Ambani family has not disclosed any information regarding the events leading up to Friday’s wedding, despite recent weeks of rumors regarding the guest list and the identities of the celebrity entertainers. The dinner food and potential jewelry on show from the family’s extensive collection have been the subject of much conjecture by the local media and Indian social media users.
The creative director of the occasion was Manish Malhotra, one of the most well-known fashion designers in India. The renowned designer created custom attire for every Ambani family member throughout the month-long wedding festivities.
Every element of the event—from the food and décor to the clothes and mood—is intended to envelop visitors in a joyful, romantic, and celebratory atmosphere.
