Magical and dreamy
Would you believe it if I said that I had three genuinely close friends’ progeny tie the knot all within the last eight days? And that I felt like a human pinball ricocheting from one mehandi to a cocktail to a reception? And that there has been not one gap day – instead I’ve frantically juggled some vestiges of work in between the celebratory rush of quick changes and traffic dashes! And another four close friends’ kids’ weddings beckon my presence at Jaipur and Delhi! I’m beginning to feel like a professional wedding aficionado, a matrimonial connoisseur of sorts.
Each celebration was a spellbinding fairy tale wedding and while legendary filmmaker Raj Kapoor’s grandson Aadar Jain’s wedding to Alekha Advani’s has been touted as the wedding of the year – for me all three that I’ve attended have been magical and dreamy. But let me whisk you away to the beginning!
Alekha Advani – my close friend Nina Advani’s daughter – had always envisioned her marriage at Chambers by Gateway of India! And it seems like yesterday that we had sat over coffees and truffle omelettes and brainstormed with Taj’s top brass to craft something extraordinary last year – alongside immediate family from Rima Jain’s side and the Advanis. Thank you so much brides father Haresh Advani is a passionate hotelier. Manoj Jain I might mention is a food connoisseur.
What was particularly heartwarming was the passionate involvement of Aadar and Alekha at every stage of planning – they were crystal clear about the aesthetics and ambiance they desired. Their supportive and utterly adoring parents pulled out all stops to orchestrate a wedding they dreamt of and that Mumbai will reminisce about for many moons!
My favorite was the more intimate mehandi hosted by the bride’s parents at their own home. Nina planned a Ganesh Ghadi pooja just before the revelry. What was special was during the brides dance, Aadar jumped in and spoke of how he had met Alekha at the school bus stop when they were little kids going to school and that he’d loved her since then. His declaration of love was so endearing it had me teary eyed!
The wedding ceremony and pheras at the Chambers terrace was lyrical like a broadway dream sequence – set against the shimmering sea and twilight-kissed majestic Gateway of India framing every photograph. Attended by an intimate gathering of family and cherished friends. Kareena Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor warmed guests with their innate grace – obliging star-struck guests patiently for pictures.
Nitasha Nanda, Saif Ali Khan, Alia Bhatt, Tina Ambani, Sunita Kapoor, Rashmi Tai (Thackeray), Supriya Sule, Karan and Kunal Kapoor, Neetu and Riddhima Kapoor along with close friends and relatives sat chattily through the entire ceremonies, visibly moved as the couple exchanged their sacred vows. The emotional parents of the couple, Nina and Haresh Advani alongside Rima and Manoj Jain, beamed with undisguised joy as their beloved children danced into matrimonial bliss! Did I catch Rima heave a sigh of relief that it had all gone like clockwork?
The opulent reception at the crystal room ballroom saw South Mumbai’s glitterati arrive en masse nonchalantly mixing alongside Bollywood luminaries who had bravely traipsed all the way from the distant suburbs! But one actor did cause a breathless stir even among the South Mumbai socialites and that was Shah Rukh Khan. Not even the indomitable, eternally youthful Rekha brought about this reaction! Simi Garewal, who rarely graces public gatherings, not only made an appearance but stayed and chatted. The lovely smiling Ananya Pandey who I’ve seen since she was a tot paying with her adorable shitzu arrived with Bhavana and Chunky, accompanied by Sanjay, Maheep Kapoor and Seema Sajdeh. Anil Kapoor, Nikhil and Agastya Nanda, Akash Ambani, Shloka Mehta, Anil and Tina Ambani, Suhana Khan, and Gauri Khan adorned the sprawling reception and savored the sumptuous grand buffet by the Taj Mahal Palace, which had unquestionably pulled out all the stops for this momentous occasion.
None of the actors made a guest appearance, most of them stated, danced, laughed, mixed and had a blast. In a rare occurrence even my illusive and reclusive KRS Jamwal stayed and mixed and enjoyed a happy chat with actor Rekha who has always been specially fond of him. She calls him ‘Cigar Man’ as does Jaggu Dada. His childhood friend Chunky Pandey and he spend time reminiscing about happy times spent at his the hospitable Pandey home.
Unbridled revelry
In no way did actor Shloka Pandita’s wedding to lawyer Vedant Kishanchandani pale in comparison. Quite the contrary! Amidst cascading flowers and dazzling fireworks, this enchanting couple tied the knot through the same few days but this continued for six festive days of feverish feasting and unbridled revelry. The mother, Gitika pulled out all the stops and with painstaking meticulous planning ensured that every detail was looked into. I’ve seen her hard at work for months to make this wedding one we’ll remember. And right from the Pooja’s, the Mehandi’s, the Grah Pravesh. I enjoyed the Bhangra before the wedding rituals the most and even though I felt the exhaustion I danced up a storm – my Punjabi genes surfacing quite unabashedly!
What stood out for me was the bride’s disarming, guileless delight and genuine affection for friends throughout her wedding festivities. Both bride and groom so endearing – no officious self-importance nor huffy pride at being the cynosure of all eyes. Ved genuinely #stoletheshloo! The bride is really a sprite imbued with warmth and sunshine. The celebration was also a congregation of some legal eagles .
Achiever award
On a personal note, I won the Women’s Super Achiever Award at the World Women’s Leadership Congress, presented to me by one of NASSCOM’s key founders, Harish Mehta and the founder of the awards Dr Raju Bhatia – a champion of Womens rights.
Dr Alok Pandit orchestrated the show with precision. What bears mention about World Leadership congress awards is that this is the only award ceremony over the years -where I find delegates travel in from South Africa, Argentina, Greece, Japan, Korea and the list of awardees comprises of impressive achiever’s from all over the world!
This was not only an immense honor for me, but a much-needed motivator in a month where for the first time in life I’ve genuinely felt at death’s door, struggling as I’ve been with overwhelming work commitments, personal obligations, and a tryst with pneumonia! What’s that they say about glimpsing the light at the end of a seemingly endless dark tunnel?
Write to Nisha JamVwal at [email protected]
