Billionaire heir Anant Ambani is set to marry his longtime girlfriend Radhika Merchant in a lavish ceremony later this month, touted as India’s wedding of the year.
The pre-wedding celebrations have already created a buzz in Indian media and on social media.
In March, they threw a three-day party in Jamnagar with around 1,200 high-profile guests, including Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. The event featured a light show with 5,500 drones and a performance by Rihanna.
In late May, they had a four-day Mediterranean cruise with Bollywood stars and performances by Katy Perry, the Backstreet Boys, and Andrea Bocelli.
The main wedding events will be held from July 12 to 14 in Mumbai, at Anant’s parents’ 27-story residence and the family-owned Jio World Convention Centre, capable of hosting over 16,000 people. With elaborate floral arrangements and top designers involved, the wedding promises to be grand.
Anant Ambani, 29, is the youngest son of Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, who has an estimated fortune of $118 billion.
Anant is responsible for expanding the energy sector of Reliance Industries and has a passion for animal welfare, having recently launched a 3,000-acre animal shelter.
Radhika Merchant, also 29, is the daughter of pharma tycoon Viren Merchant and works at Encore Healthcare. The couple met through mutual friends in 2017 and have been inseparable since.
The wedding will follow Hindu traditions, with multiple ceremonies over several days. Manish Malhotra, a famous designer, is the wedding’s creative director, aiming to blend traditional Indian elements with contemporary fashion.
While some praise the grandeur of the wedding, others criticize the stark contrast between the event’s opulence and the poverty affecting many in India.
To address this, the Ambanis held a mass wedding for 50 underprivileged couples, providing them with jewelry, household items, and groceries for a year.
The wedding industry in India has grown significantly, now valued at around $130 billion and employing millions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has even launched a “Wed in India” campaign to encourage couples to spend their wedding money within the country.
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