Nayanthara and Vignesh wed in star-studded ceremony with Shah Rukh Khan and Rajinikanth


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Some of the biggest stars in India have landed in the historical city of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu to celebrate the wedding of South Indian superstar Nayanthara and film director Vignesh Shivan. The couple, who have been in a relationship for seven years, tied the knot early on Thursday morning in a traditional ceremony. A star-studded reception is soon to follow.

Shivan shared photos of the wedding on Thursday.

"On a scale of 10… She’s Nayan and I'm the one by God’s grace. Just married Nayanthara," he posted.

The bride and groom's outfits were custom-made by Jade, the label by designers Monica Shah and Karishma Swali, known for their use of Indian arts and crafts.

"Nayanthara wears a handcrafted saree in Jade’s signature Vermillion Red, custom-designed by Monica Shah. The intricately realised tone on tone embroidery is inspired by the carvings of the temples of Hoysala," the designers posted on Instagram. "In a thoughtful tribute to the actor’s love for tradition, Monica and Karishma reimagined Goddess Lakshmi motifs as bajubandh on the sleeves of the blouse. In addition, the Fourth Vow running across the ensemble has been personalised with the couple’s names, symbolising togetherness, commitment and mutual respect."

The bride Nayanthara in a sari from Jade, the label by Monica Shah and Karishma Swali. Photo: Instagram / wikkiofficial
The bride Nayanthara in a sari from Jade, the label by Monica Shah and Karishma Swali. Photo: Instagram / wikkiofficial

The groom's ensemble, meanwhile, resonates with four of the seven pheras — the sacred walks that the bride and groom take around the holy fire — signifying dharma, arth, kama and moksha, the designers said.

Each phera signifies a vow that the bride and groom make to each other, and only once they've completed the seven rounds, are they considered husband and wife.

Shivan wore a veshti, the sarong-like robe wrapped around his waist, paired with a kurta and shawl, handcrafted by Jade.

Images from Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan's wedding. Photo: Instagram / wikkiofficial
Images from Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan's wedding. Photo: Instagram / wikkiofficial

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who will soon appear in a film with Nayanthara, was seen at the ceremony and so was Rajinikanth, one of the biggest and most revered Indian actors. Other major stars on the guest list included actors Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi, Suriya, Ajith, Karthi, Vijay Sethupathi and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

Following a pre-wedding mehndi celebration on Wednesday, Nayanthara and Shivan married in an early morning ritual that reportedly began at 8.10am at Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Centre, in the city famous for its Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Khan's manager Pooja Dadlani Gurnani shared a photo of the star arriving for the ceremony, dressed in a beige Nehru jacket paired with a white shirt.

"For Nayanthara’s Special Day," she wrote.

Entry to the resort is limited to only guests with an entry code, and a big reception is planned for Friday. The dress code for the reception is ethnic pastels, according to the wedding invitations seen by Indian media.

The wedding was initially meant to be held in Tirupati, known for its ancient Hindu temples, but was moved to Mahabalipuram owing to "logistical issues".

"We wanted to call our friends and family members, and we can’t take everyone there. So, we have to decide to get married, here, in Mahabalipuram," Shivan told Chennai Times.

Who are Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan?

Popularly referred to as the "lady superstar" of Indian cinema, Nayanthara is one of the biggest actors in South India, known for her work in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She's also the only actress from South India to make it to No 69 on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list in 2018, with an estimated earning of 150 million rupees.

Born Diana Kurian in Kerala, Nayanthara made her acting debut in 2003 with the Malayalam film Manassinakkare and has since starred in more than 75 films. She will make her Bollywood debut with Khan in Jawan, an action film set to be released in 2023.

Nayanthara and Shivan first met when she starred in his 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, an action-comedy which also featured Sethupathi. The pair began dating soon after but only made their relationship Instagram-official in 2021 after Shivan proposed to Nayanthara. That year, they also launched their production company Rowdy Pictures.

'It's Nayan's day'

Hours before the wedding ceremony on Thursday, Shivan posted a tribute to his future wife on Instagram, calling her "My thangamey", which translates to "my gold" in Tamil.

"Today is June 9 and it’s Nayan’s. Thanking God, the universe, the goodwill from all the lovely human beings who have crossed my life. Every good soul, every good moment, every good coincidence, every good blessing, every day at shooting and every prayer that has made life this beautiful," he shared. "I owe it all to the good manifestations and prayers.

"Now, it’s all dedicated to the love of my life! Nayanthara, my thangamey, excited to see you walking up the aisle in a few hours. Praying to God for all the goodness and looking forward to starting a new chapter officially in front of our beloved family and the best of friends."

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WOMAN AND CHILD

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Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms

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Dust and sand storms compared

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Bundesliga fixtures

Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)

Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm) 

RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm) 

Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm) 

Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn  (4.30pm) 

Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm) 

Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)

Sunday, May 17

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Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)

Monday, May 18

Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)

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Date started: March 2020

Co-founder/CEO: Ahmed Eissa

Based: UAE, Abu Dhabi

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs

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Price: From Dh750k

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Updated: June 09, 2022, 12:05 PM