Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant big fat Indian wedding: A look at the timeline of events

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant will get married on July 12, Friday, at the Jio World Convention Centre in BKC in Mumbai. The celebrations, spanning over three days, kick off with the Shubh Vivaah (wedding), followed by Shubh Aashirwad (blessing ceremony) on July 13 and Mangal Utsav (wedding reception) on July 14. As these childhood sweethearts are finally tying the knot, here’s a recap of their journey - from roka and engagement to the pre-wedding functions.

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Anant and Radhika’s Haldi

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s haldi ceremony took place at their palatial residence, Antilia, and it is safe to say that it was a star-studded yellow affair. Guests drenched in haldi (turmeric) were clicked going back home after enjoying the ritual.

Salman Khan arrived at the haldi function hosted by Ambanis in a black kurta but soon changed into a yellow kurta for the occasion. Singer Udit Narayan and his wife, Deepa Narayan, also attended the event. While Udit Narayan opted for a purple sherwani, his wife looked stunning in a pink sharara suit.

Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh, Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, and Ananya Panday also joined Anant Radhika’s haldi ceremony.

Other Bollywood celebrities who attended the festivities were Manushi Chhillar, Rahul Vaidya, Disha Parmar, Orhan Awatramani, aka Orry, and filmmaker Atlee.

Tina Ambani, aunt of Anant, was seen leaving the venue hand in hand with her husband and industrialist Anil Ambani after the haldi ritual.

Graha Shanti Pooja

Radhika Merchant’s parents, Shaila and Viren Merchant, hosted a traditional Graha Shanti Pooja to bless their daughter ahead of her wedding to Ambani scion. Radhika looked radiant in a classic white saree with a contrasting pink blouse. She completed her look with diamond jewellery.

Anant-Radhika’s Sangeet

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s sangeet ceremony was a night to remember. The event was attended by Bollywood A-listers, a delectable feast, a fairytale-like setting and breathtaking performances.

Justin Beiber belted out his hit songs, such as Baby, Love Yourself, and Boyfriend, at the sangeet ceremony, but his moment with Jaaved Jaaferi’s daughter, Alaviaa Jaaferi, stole people’s hearts. Alaviaa enjoyed her fan girl moment as Beiber brought her up on stage and hugged her.

Salman Khan made a grand entrance on an ATV bike with Anant, setting the tone for their energetic performance to the popular song Aisa Pehli Baar Hua Hai. He later gave a solo performance to Oo Jane Jana.

Social media influencer Orry, aka Orhan Awatramani, along with Sara Ali Khan and Ananya Panday, kept the energy high as the trio performed to a medley of Bollywood songs.

Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor also matched steps to the song Show Me The Thumka.

Traditional Mameru Ceremony

On July 3, the ultra-luxurious Ambani residence- Antilia - was decorated in hues of pink, orange and white for the mameru ceremony - a Gujarati wedding tradition where the maternal uncle (mama) of the bride showers her with blessings, sweets and gifts such as jewellery and saree, among other things. During the ceremony, Radhika was seen wearing a beautiful pink-coloured lehenga.

Mass Wedding

In a heartwarming gesture ahead of their son Anant’s wedding to Radhika, industrialist Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani hosted a mass wedding in Navi Mumbai for 50 couples from the underprivileged section of society. Nearly 800 people witnessed the joyous ceremony where the couples embarked on their married lives together.

After the wedding, the Ambani family posed with the couples. The Ambanis presented the couples with gold ornaments, including nose rings, wedding rings, mangalsutra, and silver toe rings and anklets.

The new brides were given “streedhan”, a cheque of Rs. 1.01 lakh each. The couples also received enough groceries and household items, including appliances, to start their new lives together.

After the ceremony, a grand dinner was organised for guests and was followed by a traditional Tarpa dance by the Warli Tribe, an Indigenous tribe of Western India.

Radhika Merchant’s Bridal Shower

Radhika Merchant shared pictures from her bridal shower featuring her girl gang on Instagram Stories. One of the pictures had the text, “Blessed with the best.”

The photo shows Radhika sitting with her friends, posing for the camera. Another picture shows actor Janhvi Kapoor and the other bridesmaids posing in pink outfits to match the pink floral-themed bridal shower decor. While her bridesmaids were dressed in silk shirt and pyjama sets for the occasion, Radhika stunned in an ivory-coloured loungewear set. They also wore embellished headbands to go with their outfits.

Two Pre-weddings

The Ambani family hosted two pre-weddings for Anant and Radhika. The first one took place in Jamnagar, Gujarat, while the second took place in Europe aboard a cruise. Both were grand in their own ways.

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s Engagement

The duo slipped rings on each other’s fingers on January 19, 2023 in an intimate ceremony at the family’s residence Antilia. After the ceremony, the family posed for a group photo where Radhika and her soon-to-be mother-in-law held hands.

While Anant Ambani looked dapper in a blue kurta pyjama and a dark-hued jacket, Radhika Merchant looked gorgeous in a golden lehenga.

Roka ceremony

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's love story took a formal step on December 30, 2022, with a traditional “roka” ceremony at the Shrinathji Temple in Nathdwara, Rajasthan. The ceremony announced their upcoming union with the world and solidified their relationship after years of knowing each other.

Following the roka ceremony, Ambanis threw a grand party at Antilia, which was attended by several B-town celebrities, including Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai, and Katrina Kaif graced the occasion.