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Ambani wedding: India tycoon’s son marries after months of festivities - BBC.com

Indian tycoon Ambani's son weds in extravagant ceremony

Anant Ambani and his wife Radhika Merchant at the ceremony in Mumbai
Anant Ambani and his wife Radhika Merchant during the ceremony in Mumbai

After months of lavish celebrations, the wedding ceremony of the son of Asia's richest man finally took place on Friday in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, tied the knot with Radhika Merchant, daughter of pharma tycoons Viren and Shaila Merchant.

Friday's ceremony was part of a four-day extravaganza - the final stop in a string of elaborate parties the family has hosted since March, featuring performances by popstars including Rihanna and Justin Bieber.

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian, and former UK PMs Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, were among the international guests to attend the ceremony. Also spotted was US wrestler and actor John Cena, who was seen hugging and congratulating relatives of the host.

Key roads in Mumbai are being sealed off for several hours a day until the festivities end on Monday.

Social media is awash with updates on the wedding, with people sharing minute-by-minute details of Bollywood stars and celebrities arriving.

But the extraordinary opulence has also led to backlash - city dwellers have complained the road closures have worsened traffic problems caused by monsoon flooding, while others have questioned the ostentatious display of wealth at the seemingly never-ending celebrations.

Radhika Merchant smiles in a photoshoot before the wedding
The bride Radhika Merchant is the daughter of pharma tycoons Viren and Shaila Merchant

Walking around the sacred fire

On Friday, the groom set off from his residence in a luxurious red car covered in strings of white flowers, as guests danced around it.

A convoy of cars, also decorated with flowers and carrying family members, followed him with music and cheers.

The grand procession, known as the baraat, culminated at the wedding venue - a convention centre owned by the Ambanis - where several Bollywood stars joined in another round of singing and dancing.

Reports say the bride and groom exchanged garlands to kick off the wedding. The pheras - the main wedding ritual of the couple walking around the sacred fire seven times - was set for 21:30 (1600GMT) on Friday.

Guests will reportedly bless the newly-weds in a formal ceremony on Saturday - followed by a grand party where unconfirmed reports say pop stars Drake, Lana Del Ray and Adele are likely to perform.

Priyanka Chopra and her husband Nick Jonas are both dressed in lavish wedding outfits, smiling at the cameras.
Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra

World's 10th richest man silent on costs

The Ambani family arrives with groom Anant for the wedding ceremonies
The Ambanis are hosting a lavish wedding, with celebrations continuing for months and across continents

Mukesh Ambani, 66, is at present the world's 10th richest man with a net worth of $115bn, according to Forbes. Reliance Industries, founded by his father in 1966, is a massive conglomerate that operates in sectors ranging from petroleum and retail, to financial services and telecoms.

Anant Ambani is the youngest of his three children, all of whom are on the board of Reliance Industries. The 29-year-old is involved in Reliance's energy businesses and is on the board of Reliance Foundation.

The Ambanis have not revealed how much this wedding is costing them but wedding planners estimate they've already spent anywhere between 11bn and 13bn rupees [$132m-$156m]. It was rumoured Rihanna had been paid $7m (£5.5m) for her performance, while the figure suggested for Justin Bieber is $10m.

One unnamed executive at Reliance claimed the event was a "powerful symbol of India's growing stature on the global stage" in a note shared with reporters.

But opposition politician Thomas Isaac said it was "obscene".

"Legally it may be their money but such ostentatious expenditure is a sin against mother earth and (the) poor," he posted on X.

Who is on the guest list?

Actress Janhvi Kapoor dressed in a golden wedding outfit smiles at the camera.
Actress Janhvi Kapoor was one of the guests
Tony Blair and his wife Cherie smile at the camera.
Former UK PM Tony Blair and his wife Cherie attended the lavish ceremony
Kim Kardashian posing for a social media snap
International celebrities including reality TV star Kim Kardashian attended the grand wedding on Friday

Pictures and videos of Kim Kardashian, who is in the city with her sister Khloé Kardashian, are being widely shared online.

Reports say the sisters have brought a team of stylists, including celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, along with a group of producers to capture every detail of their trip.

Former Indian president Ram Nath Kovind, British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron, and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti are also in the city to attend the wedding.

Rajan Mehra, CEO of air charter company Club One Air, told Reuters that the family had rented three Falcon-2000 jets to ferry wedding guests to the event.

“The guests are coming from all over and each aircraft will make multiple trips across the country,” he said.

Decorations at Antilia private residence of Industrialist Mukesh Ambani, ahead of his son Anant Ambani's wedding with Radhika Merchant at Altamount Road, Cumballa Hill on July 10, 2024
The final round of celebrations comes after months of festivities

The wedding festivities began in March when the family held a three-day pre-wedding party in their home state of Gujarat.

Among the 1,200 guests to attend that celebration were Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft's Bill Gates.

The party started with a performance by Rihanna on the first night. Diljit Dosanjh, the first Punjabi singer to perform at Coachella, took the stage on the second night, while rapper Akon closed the show on the final day of celebrations.

Bill Gates and Paula Hurd pose during the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani
Bill Gates and Paula Hurd pose during the pre-wedding celebrations in March
Rihanna performs in Jamnagar for the Ambani pre-wedding party
Rihanna performed at the pre-wedding party

Luxury Med cruise and a mass wedding

Anant Ambani, son of businessman Mukesh Ambani, arrives with his fiance Radhika Merchant on the red carpet during the sangeet ceremony at Jio World Centre, Mumbai.
As part of the celebrations, the Ambanis hosted a mass wedding for 50 underprivileged couples.

In June, the Ambanis organised another pre-wedding celebration, this time, a luxury cruise from Italy to France. The Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry and Pitbull performed for the 800 guests, which included Bollywood stars and cricketers.

Money was also lavished on constructing 14 temples inside a sprawling complex in Jamnagar to showcase India's cultural heritage and provide a backdrop for the wedding. As part of the celebrations, the Ambanis hosted a mass wedding for 50 underprivileged couples.

On Wednesday, the family hosted a bhandara - a community feast for underprivileged people.

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2024-07-13 07:10:35Z

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