Several offices in Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), a prominent commercial hub, have directed employees to work remotely until July 15 due to traffic diversions and restricted access caused by the upcoming wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. The youngest son of Reliance Industries Ltd. Chairman Mukesh Ambani and the daughter of Viren Merchant are set to marry on July 12 at the Jio World Convention Centre in BKC, with festivities continuing until July 14.
The elaborate celebrations have inconvenienced local residents and office-goers, with traffic restrictions in place from July 12 to 15 around the wedding venue within Mumbai's bustling financial district, which houses India's major stock exchange, markets regulator, and international banks.
The Ambani-Merchant wedding has also led to a surge in hotel bookings across Mumbai, with luxury hotels in BKC reportedly charging up to ₹1 lakh per night. Iconic venues like Trident and Oberoi are fully booked from July 10 to 14. The high-profile event is expected to draw celebrities from Bollywood, Hollywood, business, and sports communities.
Preceding the wedding, the Ambani family hosted a traditional 'mameru' ceremony on July 3, followed by a grand sangeet ceremony on July 7 featuring a performance by international pop star Justin Bieber, who entertained guests with his popular hits.
Among the notable attendees expected are global business leaders like HSBC Holdings plc Chairman Mark Tucker, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Chairman Jay Lee, and former UK leaders Boris Johnson and Tony Blair. Executives from companies such as Saudi Aramco, BP Plc, GSK Plc, Lockheed Martin, and FIFA are also on the guest list.