Bollywood stars attended the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, a striking multi-disciplinary destination in Mumbai, on Friday night.
Named after its founders, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita, the centre comprises 1,486 square metres of exhibition space as well as three theatres, including the 2,000-seat Grand Theatre.
The Ambanis, known for their close relationship with Bollywood, made sure their top celebrity friends were on hand for the glamorous opening. Stars spotted at the event included celebrity couples Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Mira Rajput and newlyweds Sidharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani.
Shah Rukh, who did not pose for pictures, and Gauri were also accompanied by their children, Aryan and Suhana, both of whom are set to make their Bollywood debuts soon.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan attended the event with her daughter Aaradhya, 11.
Other stars at the high-profile event included Alia Bhatt, Vidya Balan, Salman Khan, Karan Johar, Kriti Sanon, Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Karisma Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Dia Mirza and Varun Dhawan.
Scroll through the gallery below for more pictures of celebrities at the opening
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Bollywood stars Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh at the opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai. AP -
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas. AP -
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and her daughter Aaradhya, 11. AFP -
Bollywood film producer and interior designer Gauri Khan with her daughter Suhana and son Aryan. AFP -
Anant Ambani, son of Indian billionaire Mukesh Amani, with his fiance Radhika Merchant. AFP -
Akash Ambani, son Mukesh Ambani, and his wife Shloka Mehta. AFP -
Former Indian former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar with his wife Anjali and daughter Sara. AFP -
Indian spiritual guru Sadhguru. AFP -
Bollywood film director Ashutosh Gowariker and his wife Sunita. AFP -
Director and producer Karan Johar. AFP -
Indian actress Shabana Azmi and her husband Javed Akhtar. AFP -
Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt. AFP -
Actress Hema Malini. AFP -
Bollywood actors Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Karisma Kapoor. AFP -
Actress Dia Mirza. AFP -
Actress Sonam Kapoor Ahuja. AFP -
Former tennis player Sania Mirza. AFP -
Actress Shraddha Kapoor. AFP -
Alia Bhatt with her mother Soni Razdan and father Mahesh Bhatt. AFP -
Newly weds, actor Sidharth Malhotra and actress Kiara Advani. AFP -
Bollywood producer Ekta Kapoor, actor Jitendra and Tusshar Kapoor. AFP -
Actress Anusha Dandekar with Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra. AFP -
Actor Varun Dhawan and actress Kriti Sanon. AFP -
Actor Shahid Kapoor and his wife Mira Rajput. AFP -
Bollywood actor Salman Khan with Aryan Khan. AP -
Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan and her actor husband Saif Ali Khan. AP -
Mukesh Ambani and his wife Nita Ambani outside the cultural centre. AP -
Nita Ambani says the opening of the multi-disciplinary centre is a realisation of her lifelong dream. AP
Speaking to The National last month, Nita Ambani said the centre was “the realisation of my lifelong dream”.
“NMACC has been a labour of love and commitment for my family and me, a testament to our deep-rooted pride as Indians and as supporters of the arts," she said.
“The centre’s opening line-up reflects our aspiration, which is to shine the spotlight on India’s rich and diverse heritage on a national as well as international scale. By showcasing exemplary Indian artists, talented young artists and spectacular international performances, we want to provide new experiences to an appreciative audience."
For the opening, playwright and director Feroz Abbas Khan presented The Great Indian Musical: Civilisation to Nation, a theatrical experience celebrating Indian dance, drama, music and art.
On Saturday, eminent fashion journalist, costume expert and Vogue magazine's global editor Hamish Bowles will curate the exhibition India in Fashion: The Impact of Indian Dress and Textiles on the Fashionable Imagination.
On Sunday, cultural theorist Ranjit Hoskote and Jeffrey Deitch, former director of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, will present Sangam/Confluence, a group art show that will explore the plurality of expression through the works of 10 Indian and international artists.
"The beauty of art is in the universality of its appeal and the transformation it enables," Ambani told The National. "It sensitises communities and opens our minds to ideas, helps us embrace divergence, and transcends every boundary and label.
"As such, the hope with the centre is it continues to celebrate art in all forms for generations to come.”
