After an extravagant three-day celebration in picturesque St Moritz, expect the forthcoming pre-wedding, wedding and post-wedding galas of Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta, to feature the who’s who of Bollywood, politics and the sports world.
There’s widespread interest in everything to do with the event — from the wedding card which came with devotional music and pop-up elements, the decor, the ensembles, the jewellery, the dances and, most of all, the guest list.
Akash, the son of Reliance Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani — considered to be the richest Indian — will marry Shloka, the youngest daughter of diamond merchant Russell Mehta, in Mumbai on March 9.
“Invites have gone to all... From celebrities to sportspersons to politicians,” a source said, without naming any of the guests.
While most people in the know are tight-lipped about the wedding events, Twitterati has pointed out how the wedding may mark “funny days” in the election season.
“Will Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi attend wedding of Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta,” wrote one user.
According to the invitations, a ‘Mala and Mehendi’ function at the Dome, NSCI, Worli, on the evening of March 7, will kick-start the major functions of the wedding.
The wedding on March 9 will be held at the Jio World Centre, Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC). This will be preceded by an ‘assembly of baraat’ at around 3.30pm at Trident Hotel, BKC, followed by ‘baraat swagat and high tea’ at 6:30pm and ‘Hasta Melap’ at 8:01pm and then dinner.
A day before the formal wedding reception on March 11, a night of celebrations will be held at the Jio World Centre.
This event is likely to be studded by star-led performances, especially after celebrities from Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt to Karan Johar, Ayan Mukerji, John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez, Malaika Arora, Arjun Kapoor, Manish Malhotra, Vidya Balan, Disha Patani, Karisma Kapoor — turned up in full force in St Moritz, and danced away.
Aamir even joined bride-to-be Shloka for a jig on the popular track ‘Aati Kya Khandala’, which was picturised on him.
Also, considering how a host of ministers and political leaders, including former president Pranab Mukherjee and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, attended Isha Ambani’s wedding last year, several key politicians may be seen at Akash and Shloka’s nuptials.
After Beyonce performed at Akash’s sister Isha’s sangeet and made the world sit up and take notice of the big fat Indian wedding, the buzz is strong that American pop band Maroon 5 will be performing at the forthcoming celebrations.
The interest in the wedding is already at its peak since social media has remained abuzz with glimpses of the parties in St. Moritz.
A carnival-themed party, Winter Wonderland, was also opened to around 250 locals for two hours. It prominently featured the couple’s social media hashtag #AkuStoleTheShlo as the entrance banner for the bash in the luxury Alpine resort town.
Akash and Shloka arrived in a white horse-driven carriage for the carnival, which at night had a spectacular display of fireworks.
If that wasn’t enough, they had Coldplay rocker Chris Martin and American DJ and production duo The Chainsmokers rocked away at the musical night.
Even before the Swiss celebrations, the wedding festivities had begun in the Ambani home Antilia in Mumbai with a February 18 garba night, featuring performances by singers Falguni Pathak and Tushar Trivedi.
