Bollywood stars, Reliance fuel Ambani wedding hype through social media

Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s son got married on July 12 in a lavish ceremony that has been a hot talking point at home and abroad, with his father’s US$260 billion (S$349 billion) conglomerate Reliance taking to social media to heavily publicise the event.

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Reliance’s efforts, coupled with posts from a host of Bollywood stars and coverage in the media, have helped whip up public interest in the wedding, overshadowing some critical social media posts that have questioned the opulence at a time of growing inequality in India.

Mr Ambani’s youngest son Anant, 29, married his long-time girlfriend Radhika Merchant, 29, in a star-studded ceremony in Mumbai that was attended by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Mike Tyson and politicians such as Tony Blair and Boris Johnson. Three days of celebratory receptions follow.

An unnamed executive at Reliance called the event a “powerful symbol of India’s growing stature on the global stage”.

“The presence of esteemed individuals highlights India’s economic, political, intellectual, and scientific prowess,” according to a note shared with reporters.