It’s not often Mark Zuckerberg and Ivanka Trump join Bollywood stars and Indian cricketers to watch Rihanna perform.
But it is also not every day that Asia’s richest man throws a lavish pre-wedding bash for his son.
For the next three days, the Indian city of Jamnagar will host some of the world’s wealthiest and most famous people, who have jetted in for extravagant celebrations hosted by billionaire Mukesh Ambani.
Mr Ambani’s son Anant Ambani, 28, will marry his long-time girlfriend Radhika Merchant in July, and this weekend’s festivities are a glimpse into what will follow at their nuptials.
The nearly 1,200-strong guest list features Zuckerberg, Ms Trump and Bill Gates, alongside Bollywood royalty such as Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, who co-ordinated in white as they jetted in on Thursday.
Image: Ivanka Trump arriving on Thursday. Pic: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki
Image: Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor leaving the airport in a Rolls Royce. Pic: AP/Ajit Solanki
Fellow Bollywood A-listers Arjun Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor were spotted arriving earlier this week and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar is also expected to attend – as is Disney CEO Bob Iger.
On Friday morning, guests including the CEO of oil giant BP posed in front of a suitably joyous and bright backdrop as they made their way to the celebrations.
Image: Murray Auchincloss and Bob Dudley, current and former CEOs of BP. Pic: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki
Image: Surya Kumar Yadav , his wife Devisha and fellow cricketer Rashid Khan. Pic: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki
Image: Former India wicketkeeper MS Dhoni and his wife Sakshi. Pic: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki
Indian cricket player Suryakumar Yadav wheeled Louis Vuitton luggage as he arrived with his wife, Devisha, and paused for pictures with Afghanistan player Rashid Khan.
West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo – who enjoyed a hugely successful career in the Indian Premier League (IPL) until his retirement in 2022 – also clutched Louis Vuitton accessories as he waved to the cameras.
Image: West Indies cricketer Dwayne Bravo arrives to attend pre-wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant.
Pic: Reuters
Mr Ambani – who has an estimated net worth of $112bn, according to Forbes – has spared no expense when it comes to entertainment.
As well as booking famous Bollywood singers, he has splashed out on Rihanna to perform, while David Blaine will do magic tricks.
Mr Ambani also hired Beyonce for his daughter’s wedding pre-wedding party back in 2018.
Image: Bollywood stars Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone were greeted by fans at the airport. Pic: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki
The pre-wedding celebrations were preceded by yet another event on Wednesday as the Ambani family organised a communal dinner service for 51,000 people living in villages near their home city.
Mr Ambani joined his son and soon-to-be daughter-in-law as they served food to locals.
Image: Mukesh Ambani, center left, and his son Anant Ambani, third right, serving food to the community earlier this week. Pic: Reliance group via AP
The three-day schedule for the coming days includes a visit to a 3,000-acre animal rescue centre run by the groom – where guests have been told to wear “jungle fever” outfits.
Attendees have been provided with a mood board for every day to help them perfect looks befitting of the Indian setting, while an army of hair stylists, makeup artists and designers are on hand to help them.
Image: Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor. Pic: AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
A planning document seen by Reuters states that the wedding caterers will include 500 dishes created by around 100 chefs.
When it comes to throwing legendary wedding parties for his children Mr Ambani has form.
In 2018, his daughter Isha’s wedding was described by some as a mini-Davos summit, as the likes of Hillary Clinton and John Kerry hit the dancefloor with Bollywood’s finest.
Mr Ambani runs Reliance Industries, a huge conglomerate with interests ranging from petrochemicals to oil and gas to telecoms and retail. Last year, it reported over $100bn in annual revenue.
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