MUMBAI: Global celebrities, business moguls, and politicians started arriving in India’s financial hub on Friday for the wedding of Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s wealthiest man. The extravagance and display of opulence at this wedding have sparked discussions about rising inequality in India, where the gap between the rich and poor is widening with each passing day. Some Mumbai residents have expressed frustration over the traffic disruptions. “It affects our earnings. I do not care much about the wedding,” said Vikram, a taxi driver who only provided his first name. To manage the influx of guests, police have imposed traffic diversions around the wedding venue from Friday to Monday, especially as heavy monsoon rains have caused flooding and flight disruptions in Mumbai over the past week.
According to AP Anant Ambani, 29, is set to marry his longtime girlfriend, Radhika Merchant, in what is being hailed as the wedding of the year. The festivities are taking place at the Ambani-owned Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai and their family residence, culminating months of wedding events featuring performances by pop stars such as Rihanna and Justin Bieber.
The four-day celebration starts with a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on Friday, followed by a grand reception over the weekend. The guest list, according to local media, includes former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, Lana Del Rey, Drake, and David Beckham.
Television channels have shown celebrities like Kim Kardashian and professional wrestler and Hollywood actor John Cena arrivals.
Mukesh Ambani, 66, the father of the groom, is the world’s ninth richest man with a net worth of $116 billion, according to Forbes. Critics argue that Ambani’s company has benefited from political connections during the Congress party-led governments in the 1970s and ’80s, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration since 2014.
The pre-wedding celebrations for the Ambani family have been lavish and star-studded. In March, they hosted a three-day prenuptial bash for Anant with 1,200 guests, including former world leaders, tech tycoons, Bollywood stars, and performances by Rihanna, Akon, and Punjabi popstar Diljit Dosanjh. Tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates also attended the event. This event kicked off months of extravagant pre-wedding celebrations that have dominated headlines and social media.
