MUMBAI, India (AP) — Global celebrities, business tycoons, and politicians have begun arriving in India's financial capital on Friday for the wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia's wealthiest man, showcasing the billionaire's immense wealth and growing influence.
Anant Ambani, 29, is tying the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Radhika Merchant, in what many are calling the wedding event of the year. The festivities are unfolding at Mumbai's Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Centre and their family residence, culminating months of pre-wedding events featuring performances by pop icons such as Rihanna and Justin Bieber.
The four-day celebrations commence with a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on Friday, followed by an extravagant reception spanning the weekend. While the Ambani family has not officially disclosed the guest list, local media reports indicate a star-studded lineup including former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H. Nasser, Adele, Lana Del Rey, Drake, and David Beckham.
Television channels have broadcasted arrivals of celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Hollywood actor John Cena.
To manage the influx of guests flying into Mumbai, where recent heavy monsoon rains have caused flooding and flight disruptions, police have implemented traffic diversions around the wedding venue from Friday through Monday.
However, the lavishness and opulence of the event have sparked debates on growing inequality in India, where the wealth gap between the rich and poor continues to widen. Some Mumbai residents have expressed frustration over traffic disruptions caused by the event.
It affects our earnings. I don’t care much about the wedding,said Vikram, a taxi driver who only provided his first name.
The groom's father, Mukesh Ambani, 66, ranks as the world’s ninth richest individual with a net worth of $116 billion, according to Forbes, and is Asia's wealthiest person. His conglomerate, Reliance Industries, boasts annual revenues exceeding $100 billion, spanning sectors from petrochemicals and oil to telecommunications and retail.
Among their assets is a $1 billion, 27-story family compound in Mumbai featuring three helipads, a 160-car garage, and a private movie theater.
Anant Ambani oversees the conglomerate's expansion into renewable and green energy sectors and manages a 3,000-acre animal rescue center in Gujarat state.
The bride, Radhika Merchant, 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren Merchant and serves as the marketing director at Encore Healthcare.
Critics of Mukesh Ambani allege that his company leveraged political connections during the Congress party-led governments in the 1970s and '80s, as well as under Prime Minister Narendra Modi since 2014.
The Ambani family's pre-wedding festivities have been equally lavish and star-studded. In March, they hosted a three-day prenuptial celebration with 1,200 guests, including former world leaders, tech magnates, and Bollywood stars, featuring performances by Rihanna, Akon, and Diljit Dosanjh.
Their months-long celebrations have included a three-day cruise from Italy to France in May, with Katy Perry and Pitbull performing, and a mass wedding for over 50 underprivileged couples on July 2.
Last week, Justin Bieber headlined a pre-wedding concert for hundreds of guests, accompanied by Bollywood stars Alia Bhatt, Ranveer Singh, and Salman Khan.
In 2018, the Ambanis made headlines when Beyoncé performed at pre-wedding festivities for their daughter, attended by former U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry alongside Indian celebrities and Bollywood icons in Udaipur.
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