India’s richest man is bringing Rihanna, biz tycoons, A-list celebrities to 1,200-person pre-wedding bash for his son

nypost.com:

Mukesh Ambani prepares for the wedding of his son this summer, he’s expecting billionaires from around the world, heads of state, and Hollywood and Bollywood royalty to attend a three-day bash in the family’s hometown, starting Friday.The nearly 1,200-person guest list includes Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sunder Pichai, and Ivanka Trump; Indian billionaires Gautam Adani and Kumar Mangalam Birla; legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar; and Bollywood celebrities such as Deepika Padukone, Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee.They’ll be entertained by pop superstar Rihanna, magician David Blaine, and famous Bollywood singers.The party is in Jamnagar, a city of around 600,000 in a near-desert part of Gujarat state.

It’s the family’s hometown, and the home of the main oil refinery of their business empire, Reliance Industries. There will also be traditional ceremonies in a temple complex.On Wednesday, the Ambani family organized a community food service for 51,000 people living in nearby villages.Anant Ambani, 28, is set to marry long-time girlfriend Radhika Merchant in July.

Merchant is the daughter of Viren Merchant, CEO of Encore Healthcare Pvt. Ltd., and entrepreneur Shaila Merchant.The three-day pre-wedding bash provides a glimpse of the opulence expected at the wedding itself.Guests will don jungle-themed outfits to visit an animal rescue center run by Anant Ambani.

Known as “Vantara,” meaning “Star Of The Forest,” the 3,000-acre (1,200-hectare) center houses abused, injured, and endangered animals, especially elephants.The invitation says guests will start each day with a new dress code, with mood boards and an army of hair stylists, makeup artists, and Indian wear designers at their hotel to help them prepare.Forbes lists.