Asia's Richest Man Prepares for Lavish Wedding
Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man, is planning an extravagant wedding for his son, Anant Ambani, and his fiancée, Radhika Merchant. The wedding, described as the 'wedding of the year,' will take place from July 12 to 14, featuring a series of traditional Hindu ceremonies and grand celebrations. The couple's pre-wedding festivities have already made headlines, including a Mediterranean cruise and a three-day party attended by high-profile guests like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.
The wedding will be held at Mukesh Ambani's 27-story residence, Antilia, and the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The celebrations will include the 'Haldi' ceremony, where turmeric paste is applied to the bride and groom, the 'Mehendi' ritual with intricate henna designs, and the 'Sangeet' night filled with dance performances. The wedding invitation, a decorated red box, indicates that the festivities will start with the 'Shubh Vivaah' ceremony and conclude with the 'Mangal Utsav' reception.
Celebrity Guests and Extravagant Details
The wedding is being organized by renowned designer Manish Malhotra, who has promised to create an atmosphere of fun, love, and celebration. The couple's pre-wedding outfits included designs by top Indian designers and luxury fashion brands. For the wedding, guests are expected to wear 'traditional Indian' attire on the first day, 'Indian formal' on the second day, and 'Indian chic' for the reception.
The Ambanis have also faced criticism for the opulence of the event, which contrasts with the poverty affecting millions in India. In response, they organized a mass wedding for 50 underprivileged couples, providing them with jewelry, household items, and groceries for a year. The Indian wedding industry, valued at around $130 billion, continues to grow, with Bollywood and celebrity culture inspiring increasingly grand and expensive events.
- The pre-wedding celebrations for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant included a three-day party in Jamnagar, attended by 1,200 guests, and a Mediterranean cruise featuring performances by Katy Perry and the Backstreet Boys. The couple's wedding dates were chosen based on auspicious days in their natal charts, following Hindu tradition.
- Mukesh Ambani, 66, is the owner of Reliance Industries, a conglomerate with annual revenues of $100 billion. He is preparing to hand over leadership to his children: Akash, Isha, and Anant. Anant, the youngest son, is responsible for expanding the family's energy sector and has launched a 1,200-hectare animal shelter called Vantara.
- Radhika Merchant, 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical magnate Viren Merchant and works for Encore Healthcare. She is formally trained in Bharatnatyam, a classical Indian dance form, and met Anant Ambani through mutual friends in 2017.
- The wedding preparations have involved months of planning and the participation of numerous agencies and vendors. The Ambanis have taken measures to ensure privacy during the events, asking guests not to take photos and relying on their own teams to capture the moments.
