Mumbai, July 11 – The city of Mumbai is witnessing an opulent spectacle as Anant Ambani, the youngest son of India’s top billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and Radhika Merchant, the daughter of affluent businessman Biren Merchant, are set to tie the knot. This grand wedding has become the talk of the town, resembling a lavish commercial event rather than a traditional ceremony.

The pre-wedding celebrations, which have been ongoing for months and costing crores of rupees, are set to culminate today. Mumbai has been transformed into the most expensive city as it hosts a gathering of celebrities from Hollywood, Bollywood, and business magnates. The demand for hotel rooms in the Bandra-Kurla complex has soared, with prices skyrocketing to unaffordable levels.

The Ambani residence, Antilia, a 27-storey mansion, is adorned with marigolds and bright yellow lights, creating a festive atmosphere. The main wedding ceremony will take place at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, where all pre-wedding rituals like sangeet, mehndi, and haldi have already been celebrated.

The wedding will be held on Friday, July 12, with the main ceremony starting in the evening. 60 dancers, choreographed by Vaibhavi Merchant, will perform at the wedding. All wedding dresses have been designed by renowned designer Manish Malhotra. Mario Dedivanovic, Kim Kardashian's makeup artist, has been flown in to dress up the bride and groom.

The Ambanis have gone to great lengths to accommodate their guests:

Three Falcon jets have been chartered to bring international guests to Mumbai, with an hourly rent of ₹7.2 lakh.

Over 100 additional aircraft will be utilized to ferry guests across the country for the next three days.

The wedding menu boasts over a thousand dishes prepared by more than ten international chefs. Guests will be treated to a diverse array of cuisines, ensuring a memorable culinary experience.

Special return gifts have been prepared for the guests, including watches worth several crores reserved for VVIP attendees. Other guests will receive unique gifts sourced from Kashmir and Benares.

The celebrations will continue with an auspicious blessing ceremony on July 13, followed by a Mangal Utsav and Wedding Reception on July 14.

Mumbai is in a festive frenzy, with residents both applauding and critiquing the extravagant expenditure of the Ambani wedding. This high-profile event has indeed set a new benchmark for opulence and grandeur in India’s wedding landscape.