Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding: Celebrity guests arrive for star-studded lavish ceremony

CNN
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After seven months of extravagant pre-wedding celebrations, Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, celebrated his long-awaited wedding to pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant in front of thousands of guests on Friday.

Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair were just a few of the famous faces who travelled to Mumbai to attend the glamorous event. The wedding also attracted many big names from the world of entertainment, sports, business and politics in India, from Bollywood stars like Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt, to former President Ram Nath Kovind, chief ministers of several states and many members of the country’s venerable national cricket team.

The Ambani family, which founded India’s largest private company, Reliance Industries, has spared no expense. Founded by Anant’s grandfather, the conglomerate is now run by his father, Mukesh, who is worth more than $122 billion, according to Forbes.

In a rain-soaked Mumbai, police closed roads around the 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Center, owned by Ambani, ahead of a red-carpet event. Attendees were dressed to the nines, parading for photographers in custom saris, lehengas and kurtas at an event that could set the future trends for Indian bridal fashion.

International guests also adhered to the traditional dress code, with many wearing creations from top Indian fashion designers. John Cena walked the red carpet in a sky blue embroidered sherwani and white trousers, while Nick Jonas shone in a pale pink version, made from a woven boucle fabric encrusted with sequins, and matching satin trousers. Jonas arrived with his wife and actress, Priyanka Chopra, who opted for a sunny yellow sari with intricate embellishments.

The fashion world was also out in force. Zendaya’s longtime stylist Law Roach showed up in a mauve velvet jacket, purple tunic and gold-toed Schiaparelli pumps, while designer and New York Fashion Week staple Prabal Gurung wore a pink sherwani and aviator sunglasses. Kim and Khloé Kardashian, who didn’t walk the red carpet at all, were spotted on social media wearing gold and red saris, respectively. Kim’s ensemble featured an off-the-shoulder tasseled bodice, while Khloé opted for long embellished sleeves, layered necklaces and an opulent maang tikka. In an Instagram story, Kim announced that their camera crew was in tow for an episode of their show “Kardashians.”

Once inside the venue, transformed into a miniature version of the Indian holy city of Varanasi, images shared widely on social media showed celebrities, including Chopra and Cena, dancing and letting loose.

As for the couple themselves, the groom first arrived on the red carpet wearing a gold sherwani paired with sneakers, which he later changed into for the ceremony. The bride dazzled in a hand-embroidered wedding dress by Indian label Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Merchant followed the Gujarati tradition of wearing red and white in an opulent ivory ensemble trimmed in red. It included a 5-meter-long veil adorned with stones and sequins and a long ghagra, or traditional skirt, with a detachable train nearly 2 meters long, according to her stylist Rhea Kapoor, who shared a first look on Instagram.

In a video posted to social media Friday morning, Anant’s mother, Nita Ambani, recounted a recent trip to Varanasi in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, where she sought the couple’s blessings. She said she hoped to “reimagine and showcase the purity, positivity and beauty of Varanasi at the wedding,” adding that the event would “pay tribute to India’s glorious culture and heritage, brought to life by thousands of artisans…weavers and craftsmen.”

It was also revealed that the dress that Nita Ambani wore on the red carpet of the event took over 40 days to create. The custom-made peach silk ghagra was designed by Abu Jani fashion house Sandeep Khosla and artisans Vijay Kumar and Monika Maurya.

The Ambani family has remained tight-lipped about Friday’s wedding, though rumors about the guest list and the identity of the star performers have swirled in recent weeks. Local press and Indian social media users have also been delving into speculation about everything from the dinner menu to what jewelry might be on display among the family’s extensive collection.

Manish Malhotra, one of India’s most renowned fashion designers, served as the creative director for the event. The renowned couturier tailor-made outfits for various members of the Ambani family throughout the month-long wedding celebrations.

“Every detail, from the decor to the food to the attire and the ambiance; every event… is designed to immerse guests in an atmosphere of joy, love and celebration,” he told CNN via email ahead of the wedding.

In the days leading up to Friday’s ceremony, the couple participated in several traditional pre-wedding rituals. Justin Bieber performed at the couple’s “sangeet,” an evening of music and dance, last Friday. The couple then attended a private “haldi” ceremony, in which friends and family traditionally bless the bride and groom by applying a turmeric paste to their head, face or body.

According to Hindu tradition, the wedding dates were chosen based on the auspicious days on the bride and groom’s birth charts.

A Brown University graduate, Anant Ambani, 29, is Mukesh’s youngest child and serves as a director of an energy company run by Reliance. His wife Radhika Merchant, also 29, is the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, the founders of pharmaceutical company Encore Healthcare.

It is unclear how much money the Ambani family spent on the couple’s wedding celebrations. Industry estimates put the total amount at several hundred million dollars, with the artistes reportedly receiving seven- and even eight-figure sums.

Hear details of Ambani’s multi-day wedding celebration

On the streets of Mumbai, residents interviewed by CNN have mixed feelings about the extravagant event and the wealth on display. “It’s their wealth, but what they’re doing is beyond ridiculous,” said Devanshi Zaveri, a kindergarten teacher, adding: “There’s no need to show off so much.”

Banker Jenica Kothari welcomed the boost to local businesses: “It helps the economy, it helps everybody… So I think if they have money, they should spend it.” Rates at local hotels were said to have soared as thousands of guests prepared to fly to Mumbai, a financial hub that serves as India’s commercial capital.

The festivities will continue throughout the weekend at the Ambani family’s 27-storey Mumbai residence, Antilia. On Saturday, a divine blessing ceremony, called “Shubh Ashirwad,” is planned, while a reception on Sunday (with an “Indian chic” dress code) will give guests a final chance to celebrate with the couple.

The weekend’s schedule caps seven months of preparation for what has been described as India’s wedding of the year. The celebrations kicked off with a celebrity-filled engagement party in January. Two months later, the Ambanis hosted a community dinner for more than 50,000 villagers and a pre-wedding party for 1,200 guests – attended by Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Ivanka Trump – featuring a rare live performance by Rihanna.

In May, the family chartered a cruise ship to take their guests on a four-day trip around the Mediterranean. The schedule included several stops in Europe and concerts on deck by the Backstreet Boys and Pitbull, among others.

Anant’s elder sister Isha also had a lavish wedding in 2018. Her wedding to businessman Anand Piramal was attended by celebrities, politicians and business tycoons, while her pre-wedding party included an intimate private concert by Beyoncé.

This story will continue to be updated throughout the event.