Calling the wedding of Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant, “a big fat Indian wedding”, is a gross understatement. In a land where opulence meets tradition, where Bollywood dreams come alive, and where cricket is a religion, this wedding is not just an event; it is a phenomenon! It has raised the bar to a level where parents of millennial children are no longer talking about mega weddings because the benchmark set has lit up the eyes of generation-next. My next door neighbour bride-to-be now wants George Clooney to give her away! Her groom meanwhile wants the Avengers in attendance, and Scarlett Johansson to kick her way out of the cake at the bachelor party! The father of the bride is now asking the daughter to rethink marriage itself. “Beti, you are an independent, strong woman. Why do you want to get married…”
Back to the mega wedding taking place, reality is even further away from fantasy. While a growing India has been tutored to reach for the stars, this wedding witnessed the stars coming down to party. Guests got to meet the Kardishans, arm-wrestle with John Cena and play mind games with Jay Shetty, even as they partied with David Guetta, sang along with The Backstreet Boys and Beyonce, hobnobbed with former UK prime ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair and former US Secretary of State John Kerry. Bollywood stars completed the constellation as Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan, all made their presence felt. Overwhelmed? Wait for it.
Guests were not mere spectators; they were part of an immersive experience, with pre-wedding celebrations that spread across months and continents and included a zoo, a luxury cruise, and each venue more breathtaking than the last. So what if Portofino Bay was shut down for the pre-wedding party, it’s all about the money, honey!
The Ambanis didn’t just host a wedding; they curated a cultural spectacle. The festivities kicked off with a pre-wedding bash that saw performances by Bollywood’s crème de la crème. Think Ranveer Singh dancing with unabashed energy, Diljit Dosanjh and Rihanna crooning, and Shah Rukh Khan playing the charming host. The sangeet felt like the Oscars meets Coachella, with a dash of the Met Gala for good measure.
Even the wedding invites were rumored to have included precious jewelry pieces – because if you’re going to send out invitations, they might as well double as heirlooms. Speaking of fashion, Anant Ambani’s bride, Radhika Merchant, was the epitome of bridal elegance. Her outfits, designed by the best names in fashion, were nothing short of wearable art. From her intricately embroidered lehenga at the main ceremony to her dazzling reception gown, each ensemble was a testament to haute couture. Anant himself looked every bit the regal groom in his custom-made sherwani, embellished with rare gemstones that could fund a small country.
In an era of destination weddings, imagine having your wedding reception at home! But when your home is Antilia, you need to look no further. For the unacquainted, Antilia isn’t just a home; it’s a 27-story skyscraper that towers over Mumbai, complete with helipads, hanging gardens, a snow room, and enough luxury amenities to make a five-star hotel blush. For the wedding, the entire building was transformed into a fairy tale setting with every imaginable flower, light, and decoration meticulously placed to create a wonderland vibe. If there’s a power shutdown in the rest of Mumbai, grin and bear it. One doesn’t think bad thoughts when good things are happening.
Meanwhile, in a place like Bangalore, home to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, people have stopped discussing the lack of water and flooding during monsoons, and now talk about the aircraft manufacturer’s stocks going up, thanks to the demand created by jet charters ferrying guests to and from the Ambani wedding.
In a nation where weddings are celebrated with unmatched fervor, the Ambani wedding was the Everest of matrimonial grandeur. It was a reminder that in the land of a billion dreams, the Ambanis are the ultimate dream weavers. The rest of us can keep dreaming. Marriages may be made in heaven, but when you are the Ambanis, heaven is a place on earth. Cheers to the bride and groom!