Anant Ambani's pre-wedding: Rihanna, Gates and Zuckerberg at India tycoon's gala
- Published
Pop star Rihanna (third from left) with members of the Ambani family
Five hundred dishes, more than a thousand guests and a multi-million dollar budget - this is how the son of Asia's richest man has reportedly celebrated his upcoming nuptials.
Anant Ambani and his wife-to-be Radhika Merchant's three day extravaganza saw Bollywood royalty rubbing shoulders with tech billionaires, sports superstars and even Donald Trump's daughter, Ivanka.
The event has captivated audiences in India and abroad, who have been lapping up every detail emerging from the party held by his father Mukesh Ambani in the city of Jamnagar, in Gujarat, over the weekend.
It was so big that the local airport was temporarily granted international status as it received visitors from across the country and the world. Airport authorities said nearly 130 flights had arrived for the event, ferrying the likes of Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg to the region.
Most of the guests stayed in luxury "glamping" tents near the venue that offered a level of opulence most would struggle to imagine, let alone afford - and could reportedly choose from more than 500 dishes created by dozens of chefs from around the world.
There were also hair and makeup artists, laundry services and stylists on hand to help any guests prepare for the themed gatherings taking place - said to have been carefully laid out in a nine page schedule.
The highlight was pop star Rihanna's first ever performance in India, for which she was rumoured to have been paid somewhere in the range of $7m (£5.5m). The BBC couldn't independently confirm this amount.
Some of India's biggest film stars also danced to her hit songs on stage.
Guests were treated to a visit to Anant Ambani's pet project - a 3,000-acre shelter that is home to thousands of animals.
It was not all about the party, however. Mukesh Ambani - the head of Reliance Industries, with an estimated net worth of $115bn, according to Forbes - has also had 14 new temples constructed in the city, according to local reports.
All eyes are now likely to be on the wedding, which is due to be held in Mumbai in July.
Anant Ambani (second from right) is marrying his girlfriend Radhika Merchant (third from right) in July
The festivities were hosted by Mukesh Ambani (first from left) and his wife Nita Ambani (centre)
(From left) Nita Ambani, Rihanna and Anant Ambani
(From left) Mark Zuckerberg, Paula Hurd and Bill Gates
Indian federal minister Smriti Irani (second from left) and Bill Gates were among the guests
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan at the pre-wedding event
Ivanka Trump, husband Jared Kushner and their daughter Arabella with Mukesh Ambani
Pop superstar Rihanna performed in India for the first time
Actors Salman Khan, Ram Charan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan were also among star performers at the event
Actor couple Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone danced to Bollywood hits
Other performers included actors Khushi Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor and Ananya Panday
- Published3 September 2023
- Published30 March 2023
