Modi, SRK and Tendulkar among those present at Anant-Radhika blessing ceremony

Mumbai: Anant Ambani, son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and Radhika Merchant pose for photographs during their sangeet ceremony in Mumbai, Friday, July 5, 2024. (Photo: PTI)

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan, superstars Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, American reality TV stars Kim Kardashian and Khloe Kardashian and acting couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor were dressed to the nines for the blessing ceremony of newlyweds Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant on Saturday.

It was just another day in what has been months of celebrations to mark the lavish wedding of Anant, the youngest son of Asia’s richest man, to pharmaceutical heiress and childhood sweetheart Radhika. They tied the knot on Friday.

The inauguration ceremony will take place at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

Dressed in a colourful kurta-pyjama and a shawl, Bachchan arrived on the green carpet with granddaughter Navya Nanda in a white sari and son-in-law Nikhil Nanda in a black bandhgala.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan arrived at the venue with Aaradhya Bachchan and posed for the crowd of photographers.

Shah Rukh graced the green carpet with his wife Gauri Khan, daughter Suhana Khan and mother-in-law Savita Chhibber. Salman, looking handsome in a blue suit, made a solo entrance.

According to videos on social media, the Kardashian sisters once again opted for custom-made clothes and jewelry by Manish Malhotra for Saturday’s event. They had enlisted the celebrity’s favorite designer for Anant and Radhika’s wedding.

Kim was dressed in a stylized and embroidered dusty rose sheer sari, Khloe looked stunning in a rani pink lehenga choli. Both shared reels on their Instagram Stories admiring their outfits and “crazy” diamond jewelry.

Brother-sister duo Arjun Kapoor and Anshula Kapoor appeared in a colourful bandhgala suit and a black saree respectively. Filmmaker Karan Johar appeared with best friend and CEO of his Dharma Productions banner Apoorva Mehta.

Madhuri Dixit Nene arrived with her husband Sriram Nene, and Rajinikanth with her wife Latha.

Venkatesh, Jackie Shroff, Hema Malini, Kajal Aggarwal with husband Gautam Kitchlu, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Anupama Chopra, Atlee and Krishna Priya, Suniel Shetty with Mana Shetty, Shahid Kapoor and Mira Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan, Rashmika Mandanna, Shanaya Kapoor, Disha Patani, Punit Malhotra, Sanjay Dutt with Maanayata Dutt and their children Shahraan and Iqra were also present at the blessing ceremony.

Riteish Deshmukh with Genelia Deshmukh, Ram Charan with Upasana Konidela, Janhvi Kapoor, Shikhar Paharia, Khushi Kapoor, Vedang Raina, Orry and Ananya Panday participated in the event.

Modi arrived at the Jio World Convention Centre, owned by the Ambani family, for a wedding reception dubbed ‘Shubh Aashirwad’.

Anant, the youngest son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man, and Radhika, a pharmaceutical heiress, touched Modi’s feet to seek his blessings.

Modi was received by Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani and was escorted to the venue where a large number of celebrities, film stars, cricketers, business magnates and politicians had gathered.

Friday’s wedding was the culmination of months of events in India and abroad.

The guests invited to the reception on Saturday were almost identical to the guests who had attended the wedding the day before.

Former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson and Saudi Aramco CEO Amin H Nasser were also on the guest list.

Among the politicians present at the wedding were Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, his wife Dimple and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray.

The groom, Anant, 29, oversees the renewable and green energy expansion of oil and telecom conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd., while the bride, Radhika Merchant, also 29, is the daughter of pharmaceutical executive Viren Merchant and is marketing director for his company, Encore Healthcare.

First print: Jul 13, 2024 | 11:38 PM IST