Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant: Bieber performs at India’s mega wedding

By Flora DruryBBC News

Reuters Anant Ambani, son of businessman Mukesh Ambani, arrives with his fiance Radhika Merchant on the red carpet during the sangeet ceremony at Jio World Centre, Mumbai, India, July 5, 2024.Reuters

Justin Bieber is the latest global star to perform for the newlywed couple’s child, who is the richest man in India, to celebrate their upcoming wedding.

The American singer flew in to Mumbai over the weekend to play for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant along with their customers.

He had a lot to acquiesce to. The Backstreet Boys, singer Katy Perry, and European tone Andrea Bocelli gave performances at the couple’s second pre-wedding group, while the second, a journey around the Mediterranean, included Rihanna.

So eagerly awaits information of who will perform at the real wedding this weekend, Ambani wedding-watchers, of whom there are now troops all over the world.

Rumours swirling on the internet suggest it could be Adele, but the community are remaining tight-lipped.

The ceremony of Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son is being held without a single penny, making it unique compared to even the most luxurious of Indian marriages. It outshines yet his mother’s ceremony, which featured a headline-grabbing efficiency by Beyoncé.

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant celebrated their ceremonial service over the weekend before the wedding service. The Ambanis went above and beyond what would typically get expected by visitors in a normal manner.

It saw Mukesh Ambani, the head of Reliance Industries, with an estimated net worth of$ 115bn, according to Forbes, and the rest of the family take to the stage in their own choreographed dance to Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan’s hit song, Deewangi Deewangi.

EPA Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani (R) and his wife Neeta Ambani gesture during a mass wedding ceremony for underprivileged couples at Reliance Corporate Park, in Navi Mumbai, India, 02 July 2024. EPA

Some of India’s most beautiful celebrities were seen wearing clothes by the country’s best fashion designers, which gave the guests another opportunity to look at the outfits they wore.

The pre-wedding parties have turned into fashions, with stars sharing expert photos on their social media accounts before the events, so it seems as though they were music.

The cost of the three events to time is unknown. It was rumoured Rihanna had been paid$ 7m ( £5.5m ) for her performance, while the figure suggested for Justin Bieber is said to be$ 10m.

Reuters Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira Rajput arrive on the red carpet during the sangeet ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant at Jio World Centre, Mumbai, India, July 5, 2024.Reuters
Reuters A band plays drums during the pre-wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant outside the residence of Mukesh Ambani, in Mumbai, India, July 3, 2024.Reuters

Precisely what the week’s three-day occurrence holds remains to be seen. Some in India may find it comforting that the ceremony and its excess are over, while those in Mumbai may hope that it does not worsen the state’s notoriously poor prospects.

When Radhika told Vogue US next month that her preparing was “going great,” adding that she was “very excited to get married,” she kept her cards close to her chest.

MEGA/GC Pictures Justin Bieber is seen arriving at Mumbai airport on July 5, 2024MEGA/GC Pictures