Anant Ambani's Lavish Wedding to Radhika Merchant Draws A-List Guests and Sets Trends in Indian Fashion

After seven months of extravagant pre-wedding celebrations, Anant Ambani, the son of India’s richest man, completed his long-awaited marriage to pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant before thousands of guests on Friday.

Kim and Khloé Kardashian, Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra and former British prime minister Tony Blair were just some of the famous faces who flew into Mumbai to attend the star-studded event. The wedding also attracted many of the biggest names in Indian entertainment, sport, business and politics, from Bollywood stars like Rajinikanth and Sanjay Dutt, to former president Ram Nath Kovind, the chief ministers of various states and numerous members of the country’s revered national cricket team.

No expense was spared by the Ambani’s, the family behind India’s largest private sector corporation, Reliance Industries. Founded by Anant’s grandfather, the conglomerate is now run by his father, Mukesh, who is worth over $122 billion, according to Forbes.

In a rain-soaked Mumbai, police closed roads in the area surrounding the Ambani-owned, 16 000-capacity Jio World Convention Center ahead of a red-carpet-style arrival event. Attendees dressed the part, streaming past photographers in custom sarees, lehengas and kurtas at an event that may set forthcoming trends in Indian wedding fashion.

International guests also honoured the traditional dress code, with many seen wearing designs by major Indian fashion designers. John Cena walked the red carpet in an embroidered sky blue sherwani and white pants, while Nick Jonas sparkled in a baby pink version — made from a bouclé-style woven fabric embedded with sequins — and matching satin trousers. Jonas arrived with his wife and actor, Priyanka Chopra, who opted for an intricately embellished sunshine yellow sari.

The fashion crowd were out in full force too. Zendaya’s longtime stylist Law Roach arrived in a mauve velvet jacket, purple tunic and a pair of Schiaparelli gold toed shoes, while designer and New York Fashion Week staple Prabal Gurung wore a rose-coloured sherwani and aviator sunglasses. Kim and Khloé Kardashian, who skipped the red carpet entirely, were seen on social media dressed in gold and red saris, respectively. Kim’s ensemble featured an off-the-shoulder tasseled bodice, whereas Khloé opted for long, ornate sleeves, stacked necklaces and an opulent maang tikka. In an Instagram story, Kim teased that their film crew was in town for an episode of their show “The Kardashians.” (CNN)