Mumbai witnessed a grand spectacle as the lavish wedding celebrations for Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, and his fiancée Radhika Merchant resumed on Saturday. The festivities featured a star-studded guest list that included Hollywood celebrities, global business leaders, and two former British prime ministers.
Anant, 29, and Radhika, also 29, are tying the knot in Mumbai, following months of pre-marriage parties that have redefined matrimonial extravagance. The wedding weekend commenced with a blessing ceremony, held at a 16,000-capacity convention center owned by the Ambani family’s conglomerate, where the world’s elite gathered to pay their respects to the couple.
The previous evening’s formal ceremony and party were attended by notable figures such as socialite Kim Kardashian, actor John Cena, and former British leaders Tony Blair and Boris Johnson. Kardashian shared Instagram videos of herself and her sister Khloe preparing for the festivities in traditional Indian attire and ornate jewelry. Footage from the hosts showcased hundreds of revelers enthusiastically dancing in traditional Indian dress inside the venue.
Prominent attendees included FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and Samsung Chairman Jay Y. Lee, among many other illustrious figures from the business, sporting, and entertainment worlds. China’s ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, shared footage from inside the venue on social media platform X, writing, “Great wedding! Best wishes to the new couple and double happiness!”
The celebrations will conclude on Sunday with a reception party, capping off months of extravagant pre-wedding events. Earlier this year, the couple hosted a party at the Ambanis’ ancestral home, unveiling a purpose-built Hindu temple and featuring private performances by R&B star Rihanna and Canadian singer Justin Bieber. Guests included Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Ivanka Trump, daughter of former US president Donald Trump, alongside a who’s who of India’s sporting and entertainment elites.
In June, Anant and Radhika embarked on a four-day Mediterranean cruise with 1,200 guests, highlighted by a masquerade ball at a French chateau in Cannes, where singer Katy Perry performed. Entertainment was also provided by the Backstreet Boys, US rapper Pitbull, and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.
Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, India’s largest company by market cap, is known for his opulent family weddings. Forbes lists him as the world’s 11th richest person, with a fortune exceeding $123 billion. The 2018 wedding of his daughter, which reportedly cost $100 million and featured a performance by US singer Beyonce, remains India’s most expensive wedding to date.
The Ambani family’s diverse business interests include retail partnerships with luxury brands like Armani, dominance in India’s mobile phone market, and ownership of an Indian Premier League cricket team. Their 27-floor family home, Antilia, is one of Mumbai’s most iconic landmarks, reportedly costing over $1 billion to build and employing a permanent staff of 600.
Radhika Merchant is the daughter of prominent pharmaceutical moguls, further solidifying the union between two influential families.
