We finally have an answer for how much it’ll take for Justin Bieber to croon “Love Yourself,” a now nearly-decade-old song, at your next party—a cool $10 million. At least, that’s what one of the richest families in the world was willing to shell out.
This past Friday, the pop star performed at a private event in preparation for billionaire Anant Ambani and his fiancée Radhika Merchant’s wedding. The sangeet, or pre-wedding ceremony, was held in Mumbai, India. The youngest son of the incredibly wealthy Ambani family has been gearing up for his marriage that will take place from July 12–14. CNN calls the whole affair “the country’s wedding of the year,”
It’s no shock that the groom’s family is going all out, given the net worth of its patriarch. As chairman of Reliance Industries, Mukesh Ambani is currently worth $124 billion, per Forbes.
The conglomerate was founded in 1958 by Ambani’s father, Dhirubhai Ambani. Still a family-run business, Reliance Industries has made Ambani the richest person in India and the 11th richest person in the world, as of this date. He’s now Asia’s most wealthy man, as well.
And Merchant is no Cinderella story either. She also hails from an empire as the daughter of Viren Merchant, who heads pharmaceutical giant Encore Healthcare, per Vogue.
All the pomp and circumstance comes with some criticism, especially considering the rampant inequality in the country. In 2021, the wealthiest 1% of India accounted for more than 40% of its wealth, per a report published by nonprofit Oxfam. And the family has political ties. The Associated Press notes that some commentators call out Ambani’s ballooning wealth as a product of the family’s connections during the 1970s and ’80s, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rule since 2014.
The rise of the family often compared to the Rockefellers has been tied by some to a system of corruption and monarchies. Journalists Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Subir Ghosh, and Jyotirmoy Chaudhuri even wrote a book about the link called Gas Wars: Crony Capitalism and the Ambanis.
Naturally, America’s own 1% has also been extended an invite. Last March, billionaires including Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sundar Pichai went to an Ambani wedding event to see Rihanna perform. David Blaine was also there doing some magic tricks for the rich. Surprisingly, Rihanna was paid less than Bieber, as Daily Mail reports she was given £5 million (or $ 6.3 million) to headline. The three-day event had 1,200 people on its guest list, per the Associated Press.
The much-anticipated wedding will take place at the Ambani’s 27-story family mansion and the Jio World Convention Centre (a family-owned arena that can hold more than 16,000 individuals), according to CNN. “It’s no exaggeration to say that the world will be watching,” adds Vogue.
