The marriage between Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani, son of billionaire Mukesh Ambani, who heads India’s leading state-wide conglomerates, has been the most talked about event of the season. India’s richest family kicked off the pre-celebrations in March with a Rihanna concert, paid some $8 million for the concert, and a menu curated by as many as 65 chefs with 2,500 different dishes. This was followed by a Mediterranean cruise, departing from Palermo, which took more than 1200 guests to Rome, Cannes and other idyllic European sites. In June, all the guests moved to Portofino, completely blocking off the town to gather all the world’s tycoons on their yachts.
This weekend Merchant and Ambani got married in Mumbai in a party that could change the Indian wedding industry forever. Not just because of the high cost, but because of the guests. From Kim and Khloé Kardashian to Priyanka Chopra Jonas to John Cena, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, the stars present at Ambani’s wedding were many. Also present were some prominent political figures, such as Boris Johnson and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as well as dozens of Bollywood celebrities.
The event also gave visibility to Indian fashion brands looking to establish themselves across the border, such as Tarun Tahiliani, who dressed Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Manish Malhotra, who signed the Kardashian sisters’ dresses, and then Karan Torani, Arpita Mehta, Shane Peacock, Anamika Khanna and Falguni. One of the most iconic moments was Justin Bieber’s performance at the sangeet ceremony, a week before the $10 million wedding. Other artists who performed during the three-month celebration included Katy Perry, Pitbull, the Backstreet Boys, Rema, Luis Fonsi, A.R Rahman, Shreya Ghoshal and Sukhbir.
The Ambani marriage represented a new opportunity for the family to grow outside the borders of their own country. As owners of Reliance Industries Limited, a company also involved in retailing houses such as Armani, Zegna, Versace, Valentino, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga, they posted a record turnover of $120 billion in fiscal 2024. The marriage was a good networking opportunity, as well as a chance to strengthen ties with entrepreneurs such as Zuckerberg, an investor in the phone company of which Akash Ambani, the groom’s brother, is chairman. In addition to luxury, the family is also taking an interest in Shein’s entry into India.
It is not clear how much was spent on the marriage of Mukesh Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s son, but estimates confirm that it is an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars. The last three days of wedding festivities were held at the Jio World Convention Centre, the Ambani-owned exhibition, shopping and event centre with a capacity of 16,000 people. For the occasion, the centre has been transformed into a mini-Varanasi, the Indian holy city on the banks of the Ganges known for its bright colours. The Ambani marriage is an affirmation of Indian culture and fashion as a new international power.
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