Ambani, 66, chairman of oil-to-telecoms giant Reliance Industries, is Asia‘s richest person according to the Forbes real-time billionaires list, worth more than $114 billion.

On Wednesday evening, Ambani and wife Nita – along with their son Anant and his fiancee Radhika Merchant – launched a three-day feast for villagers at the Reliance Township in his hometown of Jamnagar, in India’s western state of Gujarat.

Anant, 28, who also serves as a director on the boards of several Reliance-owned firms, is expected to marry Merchant, 29, the daughter of an industrialist, later this year.

India’s richest man has kicked off lavish pre-wedding parties for his son by feeding more than 50,000 people in his hometown, with celebrations in the coming days expected to include some of the world’s most influential figures. Pictured, Anant Ambani and bride Radhika Merchant interacting with guests during a community food service

Rihanna, 36, who is performing at the celebrations, and her partner A$AP Rocky were filmed stepping out in India today, according to delighted fans who shared the footage online

Ambani held the most expensive wedding in India for his daughter in 2018, which reportedly cost $100million and saw US pop megastar Beyonce perform.

This time, R&B star Rihanna, illusionist David Blaine and Bollywood’s Diljit Dosanjh will perform for the guests, who are expected to include Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Meta head Mark Zuckerberg, and several current and former political leaders, according to a list released by Reliance.

Also among the invitees is Disney chief Robert Iger, following a deal agreed Wednesday between Reliance Industries and Walt Disney to merge their Indian media businesses.

Other guests invited include Ivanka Trump, the former US president’s daughter, as well as ex-Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper and the King of Bhutan.

Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan, cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and M.S. Dhoni, and industry titan Gautam Adani are also invited in a who’s-who of India’s super-rich elite.

The Ambanis are building a Hindu temple complex in Jamnagar, to keep ‘India’s rich cultural and spiritual identity at the heart of the wedding festivities’, the Reliance Foundation said on social media.

The main celebrations, running from March 1-3, will have different themes, events and dress codes – including a ‘jungle fever’ day with a visit to an animal rescue centre run by Ambani, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

On Wednesday evening, Ambani and wife Nita – along with their son Anant and his fiancee Radhika Merchant (pictured left) – launched a three-day feast for villagers at the Reliance Township in his hometown of Jamnagar, in India’s western state of Gujarat

Anant, 28, who also serves as a director on the boards of several Reliance-owned firms, is expected to marry Merchant, 29, the daughter of an industrialist, later this year

The bride and groom (pictured right) have reportedly hired 21 chefs to feed their 1,000 guests at the lavish event at Anant’s parents’ home in Jamnagar this weekend

Akash Ambani, son of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, arrives to attend the pre-wedding celebrations of his brother Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant, at the airport in Jamnagar

Bride and groom-to-be Anant Ambani (right) with Radhika Merchant at the inauguration of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in March 2023

The bride and groom have reportedly hired 21 chefs to feed their 1,000 guests at the lavish event at Anant’s parents’ home in Jamnagar this weekend.

Bride-to-be Anant Ambani, 29, is the daughter of billionaire Shri Viren Merchant, who is the CEO of private health firm Encore Healthcare.

The invite for the pre-wedding celebrations – which have been widely circulating on social media – read: ‘With hearts full of joy and excitement, we invite you to the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant and Radhika at our home in Jamnagar.

‘We look forward to having you with us to share in our joy, love, and laughter, and create memories that we’ll cherish forever.’

It would also seem that there is a strict dress code to follow for guests taking part in the lavish wedding warm up.

On the Friday night, the happy couple’s loved ones will enjoy an ‘evening in everland’-themed cocktail party on the premises.

The following day, they have been told to wear ‘comfortable shoes’ to take a ‘walk on the wild side’ by visiting the groom’s Reliance animal rescue centre, which spans 650 acres and homes more than 2,000 animals.

That evening, the couple will host their ‘Mela Rogue’ and guests have been told to dress in a ‘dazzling desi romance’ style.

The pre-wedding celebration for the union of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant laid out 9 pages of stipulations for the dress code

Pictured: the groom’s family, who will be hosting the couple’s extravagant three-day pre-wedding celebrations this weekend

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant (centre) seen with the groom’s family at their engagement ceremony

On the third day, guests have been told to pack something ‘casual chic’ for the Tusker Trails, where they will presumably explore the local area.

The final event will be a Hashtakshar, which translates as ‘signature’, and guests will be expected to wear traditional clothing, such as sherwanis and sarees.

For Annant’s sister’s wedding in 2018, the family is said to have paid Beyonce $6m to fly in and perform a private concert for guests.

Ahead of the celebrations, guests were reportedly issued with a nine-page dress code which covers the variety of events that will be taking place this weekend.

Local media reports that guests will be travelling to the city of Jamnagar on chartered flights and ferries – and have been told that there is a limit of three suitcases per couple.

The invite for the pre-wedding celebrations – which have been widely circulating on social media – read: ‘With hearts full of joy and excitement, we invite you to the pre-wedding celebrations of Anant and Radhika at our home in Jamnagar

Pictured: Beyonce shared this photo in 2018 when she flew to India to perform at Anant’s sister’s wedding

Indian publication National News reports that all 1000 guests will have access to laundry services throughout the weekend, which includes express steaming.

The information booklet also states that hairstylists, make-up artists and sari drapers will also be on hand to help.

The guide reads: ‘We would like you to enjoy each moment to the fullest and make beautiful memories that last a lifetime.’

According to The Times of India, chefs employed by the luxury Jardin Hotel have prepped more than 2,500 dishes – spanning Japanese, Mexican and Thai cuisine.

An insider told the publication that guests will have the choice of 75 options for breakfast and a further 225 and 275 for lunch and dinner.

There will also be 85 catering options on offer for the traditional midnight meal, which runs from 12-4am.

What’s more, the insider also claimed that no item on the menu will be repeated across the course of the three days.

Hilary Clinton seen posing with Beyonce’s parents and the mother-of-the-bride at Isha Ambani’s wedding in 2018

Indian billionaire businessman Mukesh Ambani (L) with his daughter Isha Ambani (2L), son Anant Ambani (R) and Radhika Merchant in October 2023

Mukesh Ambani, left, and his daughter Isha Ambani, arrive to attend the wedding of Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas in November 2018

The happy couple are said to have been childhood friends and both attended university in the US.

In November 2018, Anant’s Yale graduate sister Isha tied the knot with real estate mogul Anand Piramal, a childhood friend and the son of another uber-wealthy businessman, in a wedding that is thought to have cost $100million (£74.9million), according to Bloomberg.

The first hint of the nuptials’ lavishness was the elaborate embroidered and gold plated Dolce & Gabbana box guests received as invitations.

Each exquisite rose printed package contained a series of luxury cards which folded out to reveal details of the events that would be held across the five-day affair.

As per Indian tradition, the party kicked off with the Sangeet, which typically sees the bride, groom and their families come together to sing and dance in stage performances celebrating their unions.

But Mr Ambani, whose business interests cover oil, telecoms, chemicals, textiles, technology and food, did not hold back when it came to the entertainment for his little girl.

As per Indian tradition, Isha’s wedding party kicked off with the Sangeet, which typically sees the bride, groom and their families come together to sing and dance in stage performances celebrating their unions

Decorations outside the home are pictured in the hotel ahead of Isha Ambani’s nuptials in  2018

The first hint of the nuptials’ lavishness was the elaborate embroidered and gold plated Dolce & Gabbana box guests received as invitations. Bollywood stars Karishma Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Kiara Aliaadvani are among the guests pictured above

Beyoncé was flown in especially for the a 45-minute private concert, which saw her make several costume changes and sing hit songs Perfect and Crazy In Love.

Bollywood superstars including Aishwarya Rai partied the night away as laser lights criss-crossed the sky.

Other reported VIP wedding guests included former Huffington Post editor-in-chief Arianna Huffington, 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch, BP Group CEO Bob Dudley, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar.

Mr Piramal and Yale graduate Miss Ambani selected the finest locations in Udaipur, known as the ‘city of lakes’, for the weekend, taking over the five-star Oberoi Udaivilas hotel and the 18th century City Palace for two night-time events.

Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk