The richest man in Asia, Mukesh Ambani threw a real-life ‘crazy rich’ week-long wedding for his daughter, Isha, who married Anand Piramal on Wednesday, December 12, in Mumbai. The celebrations were so extravagant that it is estimated to have cost a cool $100 million (S $137 million).
This figure puts the new couple in the same stratosphere as royalty, since Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s nuptials cost $110 million in today’s figures.
Superstar Beyoncé performed for the guests, not even at the wedding reception, but for a pre-wedding celebration last Saturday, December 8, in Udaipur’s City Palace. Beyoncé sang such crowd favorites as “Crazy in Love,” “Naughty Girl” and “Perfect,” along with dazzling costume changes.
The other guests at the private wedding concert were Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Karan Johar, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
The bride’s father, Mukesh Ambani, could well afford the extravaganza. According to Forbes, Ambani’s net worth is $43.4 billion (S $59.4 billion). Ambani helms oil and gas company Reliance Industries. His wife, Nita Ambani, is a well-known philanthropist who founded the Dhirubhai Ambani International School in Mumbai and heads the Reliance Foundation.
Their daughter, Isha, is a Yale and Stanford graduate and New York business analyst. Her groom, Anand Piramal, is the executive director of business conglomerate Piramal Group. His father Ajay Piramal’s net worth is $4.2 billion (S $59.4 billion) and is the 24th wealthiest person in India. Anand graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard and founded Piramal Realty and health-care initiative Piramal Swasthya.
The bride and groom have known each other since childhood since the families are longtime friends.
Illustrious guests attended the sangeet, traditional celebrations that lead up to the wedding ceremony, including former US Secretaries of State Hillary Clinton and John Kerry, who took part in Indian dances during the festivities. Arianna Huffington, Bollywood and Hollywood stars such as Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, and James Murdoch, the CEO of 21st Century Fox, were also among those who graced the occasion.
But the Ambanis also gave back to the city of Udaipur, donating meals three times a day for more than 5000 people during the four days wedding feast, and setting up a Swadesh bazaar featuring the work of local artists and craftspeople, to show their thankfulness.
Wedding guests were given an opportunity to see and sample the crafts in the bazaar. They also enjoyed a carnival, extravagant meals, a fashion walk and much entertainment from Bollywood celebrities.