As per tradition of extravagant Indian weddings, Mukesh Ambani, the wealthiest man in Asia, is hosting pre-wedding festivities for his son Anant Ambani in an opulent affair. The wedding of Anant, 28, to his childhood sweetheart Radhika Merchant, 29, will take place in July. However, the celebrations kickoff with a three-day pre-wedding bash starting on Friday, March 1, in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
The guest list boasts renowned figures from Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and the entertainment industry. Rihanna, the global superstar, is set to perform, which caused a stir when she arrived in India on Feb. 29 with her colossal luggage. Other notable guests include Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Larry Fink, co-founder of Blackrock, Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet, former Canadian PM Stephen Harper, former Australian PM Kevin Rudd, and Ivanka Trump. Indian billionaires Gautam Adani and Kumar Mangalam Birla are also expected, along with Indian cricketers and Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.
Disney CEO Bob Iger may also attend following Mukesh Ambani’s announcement of an $8.5 billion merger with Disney over its India media assets. This deal is expected to revolutionize India’s television and streaming services, further consolidating Reliance Industries’ position in one of the world’s fastest-growing entertainment markets.
The pre-wedding celebrations, held in the Ambanis’ 3,000-acre garden with a mango orchard, have captivated Indians. The event will feature not only Rihanna but also a performance by American illusionist David Blaine. Guests have been instructed to wear “jungle fever” outfits for a glamorous cocktail party. The Ambanis’ animal rescue center will be visited, and a grand gala will serve over 2,500 dishes prepared by a talented team of 65 chefs. Guests have been offered services such as hairstyling, make-up, and saree draping, as well as return charter jet flights from New Delhi and Mumbai.
Mukesh Ambani, with an estimated net worth of $111 billion on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, is presently the richest person in Asia and the 11th richest person in the world. As the chairman of the Fortune 500 company Reliance Industries, the 66-year-old tycoon oversees a conglomerate founded by his father Dhirubhai Ambani, encompassing various industries including petroleum refining, retail, telecommunications, food, and digital streaming services. His wife Nita and their three children are set to inherit his multi-billion-dollar empire. In recent years, Mukesh Ambani has been planning for succession with his 31-year-old twins Isha and Akash, as well as Anant Ambani, who joined the Reliance board in August 2020.
Anant Ambani currently serves as a director in Reliance’s new energy business and the Reliance Foundation. Last January, he got engaged to Radhika Merchant in a traditional ceremony held at the grand Ambani residence of Antilia in Mumbai. The Ambanis’ 27-storey high home had previously gained global attention for being the most expensive property in the world at the time of its construction.
India’s luxury wedding market sees extravagant spending of over $75 billion every year, attracting celebrities, fashion designers, and influencers from the entertainment industry. However, few weddings compare to the lavish affairs hosted by the Ambanis. In 2018, Mukesh Ambani’s daughter Isha had the most expensive Indian wedding ever recorded, reportedly costing nearly $100 million. The event spanned across Lake Como, Mumbai, and Udaipur, featuring a performance by superstar Beyoncé and attended by former U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry.
