Another opulent Indian wedding is making headlines around the world, drawing comparisons to the lavish Ambani nuptials a year ago. Top Bollywood celebrities have taken part in several pre-wedding performances in Udaipur, with DJ Tiesto and Jennifer Lopez also entertaining guests during the celebrations.
Who are the Mantenas?
The festivities are for the wedding of tech entrepreneur Vamsi Gadiraju and Netra Mantena, daughter of Indian-American millionaire Rama Raju Mantena, chairman and chief executive of Ingenus Pharmaceuticals. Founded in Switzerland in 1997, the privately-held company has its headquarters in Orlando, Florida.
The Mantenas have roots in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. In 2017, Mantena made headlines when he donated a 28-kg necklace estimated to be worth 80 million rupees to a Hindu temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh.
While little is known about the bride Netra Mantena, bridegroom Gadiraju is a Columbia University graduate and co-founder of San Francisco tech start-up Superorder, an all-in-one software platform that helps restaurants streamline their deliveries and take-outs.
"Superorder's tools, including one of the world's fastest AI website builders for restaurants, have attracted big investors, including Y Combinator, Slow Ventures and angels including the cofounder of AngelList. In all, Superorder has raised $12.5 million," Forbes said in a profile of Gadiraju and co-founder Raghav Poddar last year.
Where is the wedding being held?
The wedding is taking place across Udaipur, a city in Rajasthan in northern India known for its lakes and palaces. Venues include Jagmandir Island Palace, a 17th-century landmark, and the Taj Lake Palace – both set on their own islands in the middle of Lake Pichola.
Who has performed at the wedding?
Some of the biggest Bollywood stars have performed across several events, with celebrations beginning on November 20 with a welcome party featuring DJ Tiesto. The sangeet took place the following day – a music-filled evening where the families of the bride and groom come together for song, dance and often a playful performance face-off.
Bollywood producer Karan Johar and actress Sophie Choudry hosted the event, with Johar interviewing the bride and groom in a format similar to his popular show, Koffee With Karan.
Performers on the night included Bollywood stars Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Janhvi Kapoor, Varun Dhawan and Jacqueline Fernandez. In a video posted on social media by Wizcraft Weddings, top actor Ranveer Singh, who performed a rap number, was seen encouraging guest Donald Trump Jr and his girlfriend, socialite Bettina Anderson, to dance.
The following night, Bollywood actress Dia Mirza played host for the mehendi ceremony – another a pre-wedding celebration. Performers included actress and singer Nora Fatehi, a Cirque du Soleil troupe and veteran actress Madhuri Dixit.
Lopez attended the wedding ceremony on Sunday afternoon, dressed in a glittering sari by Manish Malhotra. She later took the stage for the reception to perform some of her best hits, including Jenny from the Block and Let's Get Loud.
The wedding reception was also attended by South Indian superstar Ram Charan, best known for the blockbuster RRR, which won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2023.
Popular South African DJ Black Coffee also performed later in the evening.
