After seven months of lavish pre-wedding festivities, Anant Ambani, son of India’s wealthiest man, tied the knot with pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant in a grand ceremony on Friday attended by thousands of guests.
The star-studded event in Mumbai saw appearances from international celebrities like Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Notable personalities from Indian entertainment, sports, business, and politics also attended, including Bollywood stars Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt, former President Ram Nath Kovind, various state chief ministers, and members of India’s revered cricket team.
The Ambanis, behind India’s largest private firm, Reliance Industries, spared no expense. Founded by Anant’s grandfather, Reliance is now led by his father Mukesh Ambani, estimated by Forbes to be worth over $122 billion.
In rainy Mumbai, police closed roads around the Ambani-owned, 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Center, transformed into a mini Varanasi. Celebrities strutted down the red carpet in custom Indian attire, setting new trends in wedding fashion. International guests respected the traditional dress code, sporting designs by top Indian fashion designers.
John Cena appeared in a sky blue sherwani and white pants, while Nick Jonas shimmered in a pink sequined ensemble, paired with matching satin trousers. Priyanka Chopra donned a sunny yellow sari. Fashion insiders like stylist Law Roach and designer Prabal Gurung showcased their styles at the event.
Kim and Khloé Kardashian skipped the red carpet but were seen in gold and red saris respectively, as captured on social media. Kim hinted at filming for their reality show “The Kardashians.”
Inside the venue, transformed into a Varanasi replica, social media footage showed celebrities dancing and enjoying the festivities. Anant Ambani arrived in a golden sherwani and sneakers, later changing for the ceremony. Radhika Merchant wore an exquisite bridal outfit by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, adhering to Gujarati traditions with a red-trimmed ivory ensemble featuring a 16-foot-long veil.
In a social media video, Anant’s mother Nita Ambani shared her aspirations to reflect the purity and beauty of Varanasi in the wedding, which aimed to honor India’s cultural heritage. Her custom peach silk ghagra took 40 days to create, designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla with artisans Vijay Kumar and Monika Maurya.
Fashion designer Manish Malhotra, the event’s creative director, curated bespoke outfits for the Ambani family. He described the event’s every detail as designed to immerse guests in joy, love, and celebration.
Leading up to the wedding, the couple participated in traditional rituals. Justin Bieber performed at their sangeet, and they attended a private haldi ceremony.
The wedding dates were chosen based on auspicious days from their birth charts. Anant Ambani, a Brown University graduate and Reliance director, and Radhika Merchant, daughter of Encore Healthcare founders, celebrated in style.
Though exact costs are unknown, industry estimates place the wedding expenses in the hundreds of millions of dollars, with performers receiving seven- or eight-figure sums. Festivities continued at the Ambani family’s 27-story Mumbai residence, Antilia, with a divine blessings ceremony and a Sunday reception.
This wedding marked the culmination of seven months of celebrations, including a star-studded engagement party in January, a communal dinner for over 50,000 villagers, a pre-wedding bash attended by Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Ivanka Trump, and a Mediterranean cruise with concerts by Backstreet Boys and Pitbull.
Anant’s sister, Isha Ambani, also had a grand wedding in 2018, featuring a private concert by Beyoncé.