The illustrious names of Adele, Drake, and Lana Del Rey are whispers among the rumors swirling around the esteemed guest list for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's extravagant wedding, an affair anticipated to rival the grandeur of a royal wedding, with a staggering price tag surpassing $600 million. A-list celebrities and influential politicians have converged on India's bustling financial hub, Mumbai, for the nuptials of Mukesh Ambani's youngest son, who happens to be Asia's wealthiest man.
At the center of this lavish spectacle stands Anant Ambani, 29, set to tie the knot with his beloved, Radhika Merchant, also 29, in a wedding dubbed as the pinnacle of glamour and opulence. The whispers of celebrity attendees are as illustrious as the guests themselves, with the Kardashians, Adele's soulful voice, Drake's rhythmic beats, Lana Del Rey's ethereal melodies, and even the esteemed former British Prime Ministers, Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, rumored to be in attendance. Kim and Khloe Kardashian have already begun to tease their followers with glimpses of the wedding festivities through their Instagram stories, while Nick Jonas and his wife, Priyanka Chopra, were photographed gracefully arriving in Mumbai.
Mukesh Ambani, often revered as a plutocrat, reigns as the chairman of Reliance Industries, a conglomerate spanning various industries, including energy, gas, entertainment, retail, and telecommunications. With a net worth estimated at $123.3 billion in July 2024, he stands as the continent's wealthiest individual and the 11th richest person globally. This five-month-long wedding extravaganza is expected to exceed even the most lavish of weddings, with a cost surpassing $600 million.
The celebrations have already been graced by performances from the likes of Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber and Rihanna, who famously serenaded the happy couple at a pre-wedding bash in March. However, the festivities have also attracted the attention of titans of industry, such as Microsoft's founder, Bill Gates, and Meta's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. In May, a Mediterranean cruise hosted by the Ambanis showcased performances by the likes of Andrea Bocelli, Katy Perry, and the Backstreet Boys.
Bollywood's brightest stars, including Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, and Salman Khan, have also joined in the festivities, celebrating with the Ambanis. India's wealthy families have a storied history of indulging in extravagant weddings, and this union between Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant is set to be a new chapter in that legacy. In 2018, the Ambani family once again captured headlines when Beyoncé graced the pre-wedding festivities of Mukesh Ambani's daughter. Former U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry were among the distinguished guests who attended in the western city of Udaipur.
Similarly, in 2004, Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal saw his daughter, Vanisha, wed banker Amit Bhatia in a week-long celebration in France, complete with a ceremony at the Palace of Versailles and a star-studded guest list that included Kylie Minogue. The entire bash reportedly cost around $60 million, setting the bar for extravagant weddings in India.
