In this picture taken on March 31, 2023, Anant Ambani (R), son of Indian businessman Mukesh Dhirubhai Amani, and his wife Radhika Merchant pose for pictures during the inauguration of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) at the Jio World Centre (JWC) in Mumbai. (Photo by SUJIT JAISWAL / AFP) (Photo by SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP via Getty Images)© SUJIT JAISWAL

Inside the wedding of the son of India's richest man, as Rihanna and Bill Gates arrive

Anant Ambani is the son of Mukesh Ambani, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries

US Writer
March 1, 2024

Anant Ambani is set to have an incredibly lavish wedding, as his father Mukesh Ambani - India's richest man, chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, worth $114.4 billion - has pulled out all the stops for the lucky groom.

The likes of Rihanna and Bill Gates were spotted arriving to the decadent pre-wedding party in Jamnagar, as the likes of global tech CEOs, Bollywood stars, A-Listers and more are expected to appear at the three-day festivities.

Rihanna and ASAP Rocky seen arriving in Gujrat, India for the Anant Ambani Wedding. 29 Feb 2024 Pictured: Rihanna. Photo credit: Varinder Chawla / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA1104064_006.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]© Varinder Chawla / MEGA
Rihanna and ASAP Rocky seen arriving in Gujrat, India for the Anant Ambani Wedding.

Rihanna is reportedly being paid $6.3 million to perform at the celebrations, as she arrived with her partner A$AP Rocky. Illusionist David Blaine and Bollywood's Diljit Dosanjh will also perform for the guests.The guest list is said to include the likes of Ivanka Trump, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and Disney Chief Robert Iger.

The wedding is set to cost a staggering $151 million, according to MailOnline. The catering contract, awarded to one of India's leading five-star hotel groups, is estimated to be around $25 million. This could potentially increase, as the wedding is set to take place in July in Mumbai.

© Varinder Chawla / MEGA
Bill Gates seen arriving at the wedding Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's in India.

This means that Anant's wedding could potentially cost even more than the most expensive wedding in India, hosted for his sister in 2018. Mukesh reportedly spent $100 million on his daughter Isha's wedding, which saw Beyoncé perform at the nuptials.

The Reliance Foundation explained on social media that the Ambanis are building a Hindu temple complex in Jamnagar, in order to keep 'India's rich cultural and spiritual identity at the heart of the wedding festivities'.

© Hindustan Times
Radhika and Anant

The celebrations, set to take place from March 1-3, will have a number of different themes, events and dress codes. The Hindustan Times even reported a 'jungle fever' day with a visit to an Ambani-run animal shelter.

The couple are hosting 1,000 VIPs, housed in five-star facilities just outside the city, where hundreds of staff will be on hand to take care of them. Hundreds of chefs are being flown in to cater for the party, reportedly preparing 500 dishes over the three days, ranging from traditional India food to Mexican, Chinese and European.

© SUJIT JAISWAL
The couple will have one of the most expensive weddings in India

Anant is marrying Radhika Merchant, a businesswoman who serves on Encore Healthcare's board of directors, which her father is the CEO and vice-chair of, according to Forbes. DNA India also reported that Radhika was a trained classical dancer who spent eight years learning Bharatanatyam at Shree Nibha Arts dance academy in Mumbai, completing formal training in 2022.

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