Indian tycoon’s son to marry after months of celebration

The wedding of the son of Asia’s richest man has begun in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, is set to marry Radhika Merchant, daughter of pharmaceutical tycoon Viren and Shaila Merchant.

On Friday, the groom left the house in a red luxury car covered with white flowers, while guests happily danced around the car.

The lavish four-day wedding was the final stop in a series of lavish parties the family has been hosting since March.

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair were among the international guests attending the ceremony.

The procession, known as a baraat, was on its way to the wedding venue – a family-owned convention centre.

Reports say the bride and groom will exchange wreaths at 20:00 local time (14:30GMT). The pheras – the main wedding ceremony where the couple walks around the sacred fire seven times – is set for 21:30 (1600GMT).

Major roads in the city were blocked for several hours each day until the festival ended on Monday.

The lavish celebrations have featured pop stars such as Rihanna and Justin Bieber.

But it has also sparked a backlash – city residents complain about traffic congestion, while others question the ostentatious displays of wealth at seemingly never-ending celebrations.

On Friday, the city witnessed heavy rains and waterlogging was reported in some areas.

Mukesh Ambani, 66, is now the world’s 10th richest person with a net worth of $115 billion, according to Forbes. Reliance Industries, founded by his father in 1966, is a sprawling conglomerate with interests ranging from oil and retail to financial services and telecommunications.

Anant Ambani is the youngest of his three children, all of whom are on the board of Reliance Industries. The 29-year-old is involved in Reliance’s energy businesses and sits on the board of the Reliance Foundation.

On Friday, the couple will get married in a traditional Hindu ceremony at the Jio World Convention Center.

It is understood the family will hold a grand reception over the weekend, before holding a final reception for the maid on Monday.

There are rumours online that Adele may perform at the wedding, but the family has yet to confirm this.

Pictures and videos of Kim Kardashian, who is in the city with her sister Khloé Kardashian, are being widely shared online.

The sisters reportedly brought along a team of hairstylists, including celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, along with a team of producers to document every detail of their trip.

Former Indian President Ram Nath Kovind, British High Commissioner to India Lindy Cameron and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti were also in the city to attend the wedding.

Mumbai police have labelled the wedding a “public event” because it was attended by many international and Indian dignitaries, Reuters news agency reported.

City police have also imposed traffic restrictions around the event venue.

From Friday to Monday, roads around the convention centre will be open only to “event vehicles” from 13:00 Indian time (07:30 GMT) to midnight, the notice said.

Rajan Mehra, chief executive of aircraft charter company Club One Air, told Reuters the family had chartered three Falcon-2000 planes to ferry wedding guests to the event.

“Guests come from all over and each plane will make multiple flights across the country,” he said.

The restrictions have sparked outrage among city residents who say they are already struggling with traffic jams and flooding due to the monsoon.

The wedding festivities began in March when the families held a three-day pre-wedding party in their home state of Gujarat.

Among the 1,200 guests attending the celebration were international celebrities, politicians and members of the business community – including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft’s Bill Gates.

The party kicked off with a performance by Rihanna on the first night. Diljit Dosanjh, the first Punjabi singer to perform at Coachella, took the stage on the second night, while rapper Akon closed out the show on the final day of the celebration.

In June, the Ambani family held another pre-wedding celebration, this time with a luxury cruise from Italy to France. The Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry and Pitbull performed for 800 guests, including Bollywood stars and cricketers.

Then came the final round of celebrations, which began earlier this week when Bieber landed in Mumbai.

Social media is flooded with pictures and videos of him singing in front of enthusiastic crowds.

Money was also spent on building 14 temples inside a sprawling complex in Jamnagar to showcase India’s cultural heritage and provide a backdrop for the wedding. As part of the celebrations, the Ambani family also hosted a mass wedding for 50 underprivileged couples.

On Wednesday, the family hosted bhandara – a community feast for the underprivileged.

The Ambani family did not disclose how much the wedding cost, but wedding planners estimated they spent between 11 and 13 billion rupees. [$132m-$156m]Rihanna is rumoured to have been paid $7 million (£5.5 million) for her performance, while Bieber’s figure is said to be $10 million.