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The celebrities have arrived in India for the pre-wedding party for the youngest son of an Indian billionaire.
Anant Ambani is the son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of the Fortune 500 company Reliance Industries with an estimated net worth of $113bn (£89.53bn), according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index. He is marrying Radhika Merchant, who is from a family with business interest in pharmaceuticals.
The Ambani family, with a net worth of £85bn, runs India’s leading conglomerates – petroleum refining and marketing, organised retail, telecommunication giant Jio and other digital streaming services.
Although the couple will not be getting married until July, the celebrations kick off in March and tech heavyweights such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, Ivanka Trump, and Disney chief Bob Iger are among the world’s super rich and elite figures expected to attend.
Recently, Rihanna was seen arriving in Jamnagar for the festivities. The grand three-day affair is scheduled to commence on 1 March in Gujarat, promising a star-studded extravaganza. Illusionist David Blaine is reportedly performing at the party as well.
Expected to be one of the world’s grandest weddings of the year, guests will enjoy a lavish three-day affair with more than 2,500 dishes cooked by a team of 65 chefs. Top Indian celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Salman Khan, Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Sachin Tendulkar and Alia Bhatt are expected to attend.
According to an event list, the celebrations will kick off with a glitzy cocktail party, called “an evening in Everland”, followed by a jungle-themed celebration on Saturday. Guests have been asked to wear comfortable shoes for a visit to the groom’s Reliance animal rescue centre, which spans 650 acres and homes more than 2,000 animals. That evening, the couple will host their “Mela Rogue” where guests have been told to dress in a “dazzling desi romance” style.
On the third day, guests are required to pack something “casual chic” for the Tusker Trails, where they will presumably explore the local area. The final event will be a Hashtakshar – which translates to “signature” – in which guests will be expected to wear traditional clothing, such as sherwanis and sarees.
The invite for the pre-wedding celebrations, which have been circulating on social media, read: “With hearts full of joy and excitement, we invite you to the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant and Radhika at our home in Jamnagar.”
“We look forward to having you with us to share in our joy, love, and laughter, and create memories that we’ll cherish forever.”
The groom’s love for nature reportedly inspired the wildlife theme of pre-wedding celebration. “Anant has lovingly nurtured this complex into a haven of care and compassion for thousands of rescued animals,” the invitation read.
Ambani and Merchant were engaged in January last year during a traditional ceremony at the grand Ambani residence of Antilia in Mumbai.
