In India, the wedding of the son of the richest man in Asia resumes

In India, the lavish wedding celebrations of the son of Asia's richest man resumed on Saturday. Mumbai with an A-list guest list including Hollywood celebrities, international business leaders and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Anant, the youngest son of multi-billionaire tycoon Mukesh Ambani, and his fiancée Radhika Merchant, both 29, are getting married this weekend after months of bridal showers that broke new records records for marital extravagance.

Bollywood actress Disha Patani at the wedding of the son of Asia's richest man in Mumbai on July 13, 2024 © AFP – Punit PARANJPE

Saturday's itinerary included a blessing ceremony in which the world's richest and most famous greeted the couple at the wedding venue, a 16,000-seat convention center owned by the conglomerate of the Ambani family.

Inside footage broadcast by local channels showed Mr Modi, whose policies were warmly supported by the groom's father during his decade in power, was among the guests who came to pay their respects.

Friday was marked by a formal ceremony and a party attended by Hollywood actors, the Kardashian sisters and former British Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Tony Blair.

Fifa boss Gianni Infantino, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and the president of tech giant Samsung, Jay Y. Lee, were also present, alongside hundreds of other personalities from the business world, from sport and entertainment.

The festivities on Sunday will conclude months of extravagant parties, which have included other notable guests such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

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Mukesh Ambani is the chairman of Reliance Industries, a conglomerate founded by his family that is the most valuable Indian entity.

Anant Ambani, son of Mukesh Ambani, Asia's richest man, and his future wife Radhika Merchant, on July 5, 2024 in Bombay, India © AFP – SUJIT JAISWAL

He is at the head of the 11th largest fortune in the world, with more than 123 billion dollars (113 billion euros) to his assets, according to Forbes. And he doesn't hesitate to show it.

He organized the most expensive wedding in India for his daughter in 2018, at an estimated cost of 100 million dollars (92 million euros). Beyonce notably gave a concert there.

Her family's lucrative activities include partnerships with luxury brands like Armani, more than 40% of the Indian telephone market mobile or even the property of a cricket team playing in the Indian Premier League.

Antilia, the family home of Mukesh Ambani, a 27-story skyscraper, on July 9, 2024 in Bombay, India © AFP – Punit PARANJPE

The family's building, a 27-story building called Antilia, is one of the symbols of Bombay. The tower would have cost more than a billion dollars (917 million euros) and more than 600 people would be employed there.

As for the future wife, she is herself the daughter of pharmaceutical industry magnates.

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