Indian PM Modi steals limelight at lavish Ambani wedding as route to the ceremony lined with posters

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemed to divert some attention from the lavish Ambani wedding in Mumbai.
• Posters bearing the PM's face lined the route to the ceremony for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's wedding.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seemingly stolen some of the attention away from the lavish Ambani wedding in Mumbai this weekend.

While guests on the star-studded wedding invitation list — which includes names such as Kim Kardashian, Mike Tyson, and John Cena — make their way to the ceremony, they will be greeted by posters bearing the face of the prime minister, who is in the area to kick off a project.

"Heartfelt welcome to India's beloved and respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai," the posters lining the way to the event read, per Reuters.

Keshav Upadhye, the chief spokesperson for Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the state of Maharashtra, said the posters had been put up by some "excited party workers," not the party itself, per Reuters.

After months of headline-making pre-wedding celebrations, Anant Ambani — the son of Asia's richest man Mukesh Ambani — and Radhika Merchant were married early Saturday at the Jio World Convention Centre.

While it's not certain whether Modi will attend the wedding celebrations, it is thought he may briefly make an appearance.

Activities are scheduled for July 13, and the reception is set to take place on July 14.

Modi's potential presence at the event, which has drawn criticism from locals, could cause backlash from the opposition and the public, as the 73-year-old leader has previously been accused of being too close to business tycoons like the Ambanis.

Modi, who was recently reelected for a third term in office, has denied such allegations.

Mukesh Ambani is the 11th richest person in the world, with a net worth of $121 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

He's the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, a conglomerate with interests in a variety of sectors, including petrochemicals, telecom, and energy.

The Ambanis made headlines in 2018 for throwing another huge celebration for the wedding of Isha Ambani and Anand Piramal. It included a private Beyoncé concert and high-profile guests such as Nick Jonas and Hillary Clinton.

Earlier this year, the family also hosted an extravagant three-day pre-wedding celebration for Anant's wedding. Tech heavyweights such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg were just two of the 1,200 guests invited.