The title of the most expensive wedding in India's history belongs not to any Ambani, but to former Karnataka minister Janardhan Reddy, who spent over 1,600 crore Pakistani rupees on his daughter Brahmani's wedding in 2016.
The grand event took place on November 16, 2016, with approximately 50,000 guests in attendance. The wedding festivities lasted for five days, and the lavish arrangements were the talk of the nation.
To make his daughter's wedding unforgettable, Janardhan Reddy booked 1,500 rooms at five-star and three-star hotels in Bangalore. The wedding venue was designed to resemble the royal temples of the Vijayanagara Empire, crafted by Bollywood's expert art directors.
Brahmani's bridal attire was also extremely expensive. She wore a red Kanchi Varma saree designed by renowned designer Neeta Lulla, valued at 55 crore rupees. The saree was embroidered with pure gold threads, making it rare and incredibly valuable.
Brahmani's jewelry collection was also astonishing. She wore an 80 crore rupee diamond-studded choker necklace, a diamond-studded mang tikka, and pendal jewelry. Even her hair was adorned with diamond jewelry. The total value of her jewelry is said to be three billion rupees, while her bridal makeup alone cost 1 crore rupees.
The guests were treated to royal protocol at the wedding. 40 bullock carts and 2,000 luxury taxis were used to transport the guests. 15 helicopters were also hired to ferry guests to and from the venue.
The royal feast included 16 different types of sweets, with each plate costing around 3,000 rupees.
This extraordinary wedding created a stir across the country, especially as it occurred during the demonetization crisis in India. Janardhan Reddy faced severe criticism for spending such an enormous amount of money, and several political parties raised questions about his assets.
Recently, the wedding of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant has been considered the most expensive wedding in India, with reportedly 600 million dollars spent. However, Janardhan Reddy's daughter’s wedding is still regarded as one of the most lavish weddings in India.
