Following seven months of elaborate pre-wedding festivities, Anant Ambani, the 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 event in Mumbai was a star-studded
affair, with notable attendees including Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra, and former British prime ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson. The celebration also saw the presence of prominent figures from various fields, such as Bollywood stars Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt, former president Ram Nath Kovind, multiple state chief ministers, and several members of India’s celebrated cricket team.
The Ambani family, behind India’s largest private company, Reliance Industries, went all out for the wedding. The conglomerate, founded by Anant’s grandfather and now led by his father Mukesh Ambani, who has a net worth exceeding $122 billion according to Forbes, ensured no detail was overlooked.
In a rain-soaked Mumbai, authorities closed roads near the 16,000-capacity Jio World Convention Center, owned by the Ambanis, for the red-carpet arrival. Guests, dressed in custom sarees, lehengas, and kurtas, paraded past photographers, likely setting new trends for Indian wedding fashion.
International guests embraced the traditional dress code, showcasing creations by esteemed Indian fashion designers. John Cena wore an embroidered sky blue sherwani with white pants, while Nick Jonas impressed in a baby pink sherwani made from bouclé-style fabric adorned with sequins, paired with satin trousers. Jonas attended with his wife, actress Priyanka Chopra, who looked stunning in a meticulously embellished sunshine yellow sari.
The fashion industry was well-represented, with Zendaya’s stylist, Law Roach, wearing a mauve velvet jacket, purple tunic, and Schiaparelli gold-toed shoes. Designer Prabal Gurung, known for his presence at New York Fashion Week, donned 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. Kim’s ensemble featured an off-the-shoulder tasseled bodice, while Khloé’s outfit included long, ornate sleeves, layered necklaces, and an elaborate maang tikka. Kim hinted on Instagram that their film crew was capturing footage for an episode of “The Kardashians.”
Anant Ambani
The Ambani family has kept details about the lead-up to Friday’s wedding under wraps, though speculation about the guest list and star performers has been rampant. Local media and Indian social media users have been buzzing with conjecture about everything from the dinner menu to the possible display of jewelry from the family’s extensive collection.
Renowned Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra served as the event’s creative director.
