Rs 55-cr Big fat Kerala wedding: 30,000 guests, 8-acre venue

Mangalore Today News Network

Kerala, Nov 27, 2015: Rs 55-cr wedding of Arathi & Adithya Vishnu: From Ravi Shankar Prasad to royal families & global CEOs in the guest list. A venue sprawled across eight acres, 30,000 guests from 42 countries, performances by celebrities — Kerala witnessed a glittering extravaganza on Thursday as the daughter of state-born business tycoon Ravi Pillai, Arathi, wed Kochi-based doctor Aditya Vishnu in Kollam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pillai, the chairman of R P Group of Companies, reportedly spent Rs 50 crore on the wedding, which was attended by CEOs of international companies, West Asian royals, politicians and socio-cultural leaders. The guests included Bahrain royal family member Sheikh Khalifa Bin Daij Al Khalifa, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalid of the Qatar royal family, Essam Abdulla of the Saudi royal family, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and film star Mohanlal. Senior executives of Japan Gas Corporation, Chiyode Corporation and Samsung were also present.

Actors Sobhana and Manju Warrier performed at the ceremony, apart from a music event. The marriage was solemnised at an auspicious time before Thursday noon. On the eve of the wedding, performances by artistes such as actor Navya Nair and dancer Methil Devika were staged at Pillai’s Raviz Hotel in Kollam.

The flamboyant set for the marriage was erected by film art director Sabu Cyril. The huge, air-conditioned venue was set up across 40,000 square feet, and modelled after the royal palaces in Rajasthan. Cyril’s team worked for 75 days to give the ground the feel of a palace.

Pillai had earlier rejected the contention that the ceremony was a squandering away of money. “I am showcasing the state of Kerala before an international business community and country heads,’’ he had said. Pillai’s business empire is spread over 26 countries. He has stakes in construction, mining, hospitality, gas and education areas. Forbes magazine had listed him among the 1,000 billionaires in the world, with a ranking of 988.