After seven months of grand pre-wedding festivities, Anant Ambani, son of India’s richest man, officially married pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant on Friday, with thousands of guests in attendance.
Prominent figures such as Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair traveled to Mumbai for the star-studded event.
The wedding also drew many notable personalities from Indian entertainment, sports, business, and politics, including Bollywood stars Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt, former President Ram Nath Kovind, several state chief ministers, and members of India’s esteemed cricket team.
The Ambanis, the family behind Reliance Industries, India’s largest private corporation, spared no expense for the occasion. The conglomerate, founded by Anant’s grandfather, is currently run by his father Mukesh Ambani, who is worth over $122 billion according to Forbes.
In a rain-soaked Mumbai, police closed roads surrounding the Ambani-owned, 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Center ahead of a red-carpet arrival event. Attendees showcased custom sarees, lehengas, and kurtas, setting potential trends in Indian wedding fashion. International guests also honored the traditional dress code, wearing outfits from major Indian fashion designers.
John Cena walked the red carpet in an embroidered sky blue sherwani and white pants, while Jonas dazzled in a bouclé-style baby pink sherwani with matching satin trousers. Priyanka Chopra, his wife, donned an elaborately embellished sunshine yellow sari.
The event attracted fashion insiders as well, including Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach in a mauve velvet jacket, purple tunic, and Schiaparelli gold-toed shoes, while designer Prabal Gurung wore a rose-colored sherwani and aviator sunglasses. Kim and Khloé Kardashian, who bypassed the red carpet, were seen on social media in gold and red saris, respectively.
Inside the venue, transformed into a miniature Varanasi, celebrities such as Chopra and Cena were seen dancing and enjoying the festivities. Anant Ambani initially wore a golden sherwani paired with sneakers on the red carpet, later changing for the ceremony. Radhika Merchant shone in hand-embroidered bridal couture by Indian label Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, adhering to the Gujarati tradition of red and white in a lavish red-trimmed ivory ensemble.
Anant’s mother, Nita Ambani, shared in a video that she visited Varanasi for blessings for the couple and aimed to recreate the city’s purity, positivity, and beauty at the wedding. Her custom peach silk ghagra for the red carpet was a creation of Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla, taking over 40 days to craft.
Renowned designer Manish Malhotra served as the event’s creative director and designed bespoke outfits for the Ambani family throughout the month-long wedding celebrations. Malhotra emphasized that every detail was intended to immerse guests in an atmosphere of joy, love, and celebration.
In the lead-up to the wedding, the couple participated in several traditional rituals. Last Friday, Justin Bieber performed at their sangeet, a night of music and dance. They also attended a private haldi ceremony, where turmeric paste is traditionally applied to bless the bride and groom.
Anant Ambani, a Brown University graduate, is the youngest of Mukesh Ambani’s children and serves as a director at a Reliance energy business. Radhika Merchant, also 29, is the daughter of Viren and Shaila Merchant, founders of Encore Healthcare.
While the exact expenditure on the wedding remains undisclosed, industry estimates suggest the celebrations cost hundreds of millions of dollars, with performers receiving seven- or eight-figure sums.
Festivities will continue through the weekend at the Ambani’s 27-story Mumbai residence, Antilia. Saturday will see a “Shubh Ashirwad” (divine blessings) ceremony, and Sunday’s reception with an “Indian chic” dress code will offer a final celebration.
The weekend concludes seven months of anticipation for what has been termed India’s wedding of the year. The celebrations began with a star-studded engagement party in January, followed by a communal dinner for over 50,000 villagers and a pre-wedding bash with 1,200 guests including Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, and Ivanka Trump, featuring a rare performance by Rihanna. In May, the family chartered a cruise ship for a four-day Mediterranean trip with multiple European stops and concerts by the Backstreet Boys and Pitbull.
Anant’s sister, Isha Ambani, also had a lavish wedding in 2018, marrying businessman Anand Piramal, with a pre-wedding bash featuring an exclusive concert by Beyoncé.