Rihanna, Zuckerberg in India for party thrown by Asia's richest man

GUJARAT

Pop star Rihanna and Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg were in India Friday for an extravagant party hosted by Asia's richest man, with celebrations expected to include other globally influential figures.

Global tech bosses, industry titans, Bollywood stars, pop icons and politicians are also due for the three-day gala celebrations hosted by billionaire tycoon Mukesh Ambani.

This weekend's party is an elaborate pre-wedding ceremony for younger son Anant and fiancee Radhika Merchant, the daughter of wealthy pharmaceutical moguls.

Photos published by Indian media confirmed the arrival of Rihanna, Zuckerberg and the Facebook founder's wife Priscilla Chan in Ambani's hometown of Jamnagar.

"Umbrella" singer Rihanna, who gave birth to her second child in August, is slated to lead Friday's entertainment in her first public performance since last year's Superbowl, local media reported.

Broadcaster India Today reported that the Barbadian-born musician and women's beauty entrepreneur had been offered up to $9 million to appear at the event.

Ambani, 66, is chairman of oil-to-telecoms giant Reliance Industries and the world's 10th-richest person according to the Forbes billionaires list, worth more than $116 billion.

On Wednesday the family launched a three-day feast for villagers at the Reliance Township in Jamnagar, in India's western state of Gujarat.

The Ambanis are building a Hindu temple complex in the city, the Reliance Foundation said on social media.

Anant, 28, who also serves as a director on the boards of several Reliance-owned firms, is expected to marry Merchant, 29, later this year.

Ambani held the most expensive wedding to date in India for his daughter in 2018, which reportedly cost $100 million and saw U.S. pop megastar Beyonce perform.

U.S. illusionist David Blaine is also expected to be part of the entertainment for guests, who include Microsoft founder Bill Gates and several current and former political leaders.

Also among the invitees is Disney chief Bob Iger, following a deal agreed Wednesday between Reliance Industries and Walt Disney to merge their Indian media businesses.

The merger will create an $8.5 billion entertainment giant in the world's most populous nation and fifth-largest economy.

Other guests invited include Ivanka Trump, daughter of former U.S. president Donald Trump, as well as Sweden's ex-prime minister Carl Bildt, former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper and the King of Bhutan.

Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and M.S. Dhoni, and industry titan Gautam Adani are also invited in a who's-who of India's super-rich elite.

The main celebrations, running until Sunday, will have different themes, events and dress codes — including a "jungle fever" day with a visit to an animal rescue centre run by Ambani, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.