The opulent wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani with Radhika Merchant promises to be a spectacular celebration of Indian culture, civilization, spirituality, Indian folk art, craftsmanship, music, cuisine, and much more.
The wedding decor theme of ‘An Ode to Varanasi,’ pays homage to the eternal city, its traditions, piety, culture, arts, crafts and Banarasi cuisine.
Banarasi street food like chaat, mithai, lassi, chai, khari, paan, and mukhwas are on the menu. The carefully curated stalls and dedicated guest services have been designed for attendees to not only enjoy the event but also take away lasting memories of their journey through the ghats of Banaras.
From chaat to chai, Ode to Banaras features the culinary delights from one of the world’s oldest living cities. Apart from these, sweets, paan and mukhwas, kharik from Ahmedabad, chaat counters, malai toast and chai, lassi and lemon tea the food counters set up for guests promise to bring the Banaras’ rich and varied food culture to Mumbai.
With a bevvy of international celebrities invited for the grand wedding, the Ambanis are using the occasion to showcase the traditional arts of the country such as brasswork, pottery, Banarasi and Kanjeevaram sarees, Polki jewellery, and rosewood furniture.
An astrology shop, attar shop, florist, bangle seller, puppet show, and photo studio have also been set up for wedding guests who have flown in from different parts of the world.
The Dress Code has the theme ‘Resplendently Indian’. While pre-wedding festivities showcased the love of the Ambani family for Indian handlooms, the wedding attire is designed to showcase a spectacular display of the rich cultural heritage of India’s talented couturiers and artisans.
A burst of colours, fabrics, textures and techniques, showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage. are expected to be the highlight of the Ambani-Merchant wedding.
A definitive exhibit ‘Dashaavatar’ of Lord Vishnu’s ten avatars as depicted in the Puranas, has been set up to offer a spectacular immersive experience of the country’s spiritual heritage.
Guests will be welcomed by Hindustani classical ragas performed by famous musicians. Popular singers including Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan, and Shreya Ghoshal will lend their voices during the wedding ceremonies.
Music directors Amit Trivedi and Pritam, along with singers Mame Khan, Neeti Mohan, and Kavita Seth, will perform. Apart from this, International music sensations K’naan, Rema, and Luis Fonsi are also slated to perform at the wedding. Sivamani and the Jea Brass Band, as well as rappers Harddy Sandhu, Sanju Rathod, and Yo Yo Honey Singh, are also set to perform at the Big Fat wedding.
Ahead of the four-day wedding extravaganza, festivities began in March this year with a pre-wedding celebration in Gujarat, which saw performances by pop superstar Rihanna among other global and Indian celebrities.
There were further celebrations with the Ambanis hosting a mass wedding event for 50 underprivileged couples.
The Sangeet ceremony hosted by the Ambani family saw performances by a constellation of celebrities including global pop star Justin Bieber. Previous events have included a vibrant ‘haldi’ ceremony, and a Grah Shanti Puja. Meanwhile, ahead of the wedding this evening the Jio World Centre venue buzzed with an array of high-profile attendees.
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas and South Indian star Ram Charan have all been spotted arriving in the city for the celebrations.
Reality television stars Kim and Khloe Kardashian also touched down in Mumbai earlier today, with Kim spotted in an elegant outfit, while Khloe opted for a casual look. Their presence has generated excitement on social media, with fans expressing their enthusiasm for the high-profile wedding.