The unmatched opulence of the Ambani wedding

Is it over yet? Whether you participated in the wedding of the century or not, chances are (as a meme jocularly said), you were invited. The Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant USD 600 million wedding was almost a half-year affair that had the who’s who of the international society making an entrance or breaking into a dance. It seemed much, much more than just a wedding — a global event that was an assault on the senses. Whether you subscribed to it or not, the PR machinery, handled by multiple agencies, was so effective that there was no missing the nuptials. Television, newspapers, and social media were replete with news and anecdotes of the guests, visiting musicians and entertainers, multiple courses of food, and glittering fashion. It was so excessive that several times one had to control the urge to regurgitate.

This wedding of the last of Mukesh Ambani’s three children was larger than life — almost like an obeisance or celebration of a child who admittedly long-suffered from various health ailments. From an Indianised Rihanna to an underwear-flashing Justin Bieber, to the gigantic emerald-clad Nita Ambani to the Audemars Piguet watches in 18-karat pink gold worth Rs 2 crore for the groomsmen — the wedding was opulent on all fronts. Politicians cutting across party lines, and including the Prime Minister were in attendance, almost every Bollywood star danced like a common baraati, many foreign and desi celebrities jostled for space in overcrowded halls. There was more botox, fillers, and jewels on show than one had seen in a while. This wedding was far removed from other A-list weddings, where access to functions are zealously guarded and only approved photographs are released, with perhaps a few shots leaked or scooped up by the hungry paparazzi. The Anant-Radhika wedding gave extensive access to the media and had chosen influencers front and centre. They wanted the attention, and invited all into it. Even royal British weddings haven’t ruled the headlines as this wedding of modern royalty.

The Ambani wedding was an emphatic show of wealth, influence, and power. No other Indian wedding has made so much noise as this one. If there was anything that could spell out who is the richest man in India and one of the few in the world, it was this. The oil-to-tech and media giant, Mukesh Ambani and Reliance also confirmed to the world, his ability to bring headliners and showstoppers to any event of magnitude. By all assessments, this was a business and PR success, but even as the crème de la crème of the film industry showed up, the experience felt too crafted, perhaps even purchased. As a brand and image consultant, I’d have brought in some constraint, class, and strategy into these exorbitant, overindulgent celebrations, that didn’t seem to be a cohesive mix.

All said and done, no one else can come close to the jamboree orchestrated by the Ambanis (and perhaps they wouldn’t want to). This was an image of an Indian that many wouldn’t have seen before. As per our culture and majority religion, Hinduism, vulgar display of wealth is scoffed upon. But come weddings and most Indians would stretch beyond their means to have a grand wedding. A useless exercise by all counts for the common citizen, who would do well to invest the same money into property, mutual funds, or into a business. But for the affluent, for whom money is not a limited entity, perhaps it’s their prerogative to squander as much as they desire. There is nothing wrong with it, and yet it doesn’t quite sit right – for the unhealthy aspirations it sets for people from humble backgrounds, for the loss of a chance to use the funds towards philanthropy, for further deepening the divide between the haves and the have-nots of India.

Ours is a country of many Indias — inflation is sky high, job creation is weak, and multitudes are struggling. And then there is Ambani’s India — a parallel universe where million-dollar worth guests do a jig for a billion-dollar family. Best wishes to the happy couple, though it will be a challenge to keep the rest of the marriage as exciting and entertaining as the run-up to it. But hey! When you’re an Ambani, nothing is impossible.

The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal