Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, the head of India’s largest private sector corporation, will marry pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant on Friday. The couple has been celebrating their betrothal since January, with an average event every six weeks. The wedding celebrations have included a star-studded engagement party, performances by Rihanna and Justin Bieber, and a European cruise party in May.
In December, Anant Ambani proposed to Radhika at a temple in Rajasthan state, surrounded by family and close friends. In January, the couple held their engagement party, which featured a traditional “mehndi” ceremony, where her hands and feet were decorated with henna. The following day, they threw their “Gol Dhana” engagement party, drawing in some of the biggest names in Bollywood.
In March, the Ambanis hosted a pre-wedding party in Jamnagar, Gujarat, which featured choreographed Bollywood-style dancing, fireworks, and a feast of 500 dishes cooked by around 100 chefs. The event was attended by tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, as well as Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner.
On July 2-5, the couple staged a mass wedding, also known as “Samuh Vivah,” in Palghar, India, where over 50 underprivileged couples were invited to receive gifts. A few days later, the Ambanis hosted a traditional night of music and dance, known as the “sangeet,” featuring a live performance from Justin Bieber.
On July 8, the couple took part in a “haldi” ceremony, a pre-wedding ritual that traditionally sees friends and family bless the marrying couple by applying a turmeric paste to their heads, faces, or bodies. The wedding proper is set to commence on Friday at the 16,000 capacity Jio World Convention Center, complete with a red carpet to showcase A-list attendees clad in classical Indian attire.
The day after the nuptials will see the “Shubh Ashirwad,” or divine blessings ceremony, where the couple seeks blessings from the elders in their community. The mammoth festivities conclude on Sunday with the “Mangal Utsav,” or reception, at the Ambani family’s 27-story residence, Antilia.
CNN
