Anant Ambani’s pre-wedding cruise celebrations angers locals in Italy

Loud and lavish Anant Ambari’s pre-wedding cruise has left Italian fuming as cities were shut down and people kept awake by unruly guests of India’s richest man Mukesh Ambani

The Ambanis are celebrating Anant’s engagement to Radhika Merchant on a four-day luxury cruise from Palermo to the south of France and back with stops in Rome, Portofino, Genoa and Cannes for a series of parties.

Though, the wedding is set to take place on 12 July, but the celebrations were started in Ambani’s hometown of Jamnagar in March.

It is reported the he had spent $150m on a three-day gala for over 1,200 guests that featured bejewelled elephants and a performance by American singer Rihanna.

The cruise was the second pre-wedding bash and it set sail on 29 May. It stopped at Portofino on 1 June for a party titled La Dolce Vita, meant to capture the spirit of an Italian summer.

As many as 800 guests including American band Backstreet Boys and singer Katy Perry were invited.

However, Portofino locals and businesses were angry with the celebrations as it blocked the entire bay, preventing residents and other tourists from being able to visit.

The picturesque village has long been a haunt of celebrities looking for an idyllic location for their weddings — Australian singer Sia and reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian both had their weddings here — but it has never been shut down before for any event.

Nearly a dozen restaurants were offered between €7,000 and €10,000 to cater the event which was to have focaccia, paneer tikka and beetroot goat cheese kebab, reported The Times.

“We were offered €10,000 just 20 days before the event,” Andrea Miroli told The Times.

“I find this offensive, bad mannered and incorrect. I have my customers and an illustrious history to protect.”

Residents and tourists complained on social media about not being able to access areas in Portofino.

“Many other celebrities and billionaires have celebrated in Portofino, none of them have ever removed access to the main point for others,” one user complained on X.

Moreover, the same story was witnessed in Genoa as the cruise ship pulled into the port city early on Sunday, 2 June, with speakers blaring out loud music.

Residents complained to local police who did nothing even though they were called at 4.30am, reported Italian website Il Secolo.

“The behaviour of the organisers was absurd. They kept half of Genoa awake with the high, unjustified volume for most of the night before it stopped at dawn,” said a local firefighter. “What’s worse is the coast guard did nothing, despite being called at 4.30am.”