Who are the Ambanis and why do they matter?

I initially penned a more restrained piece on this subject for Brown Pundits. However, after delving deeper into what could arguably be India’s new Royal Family, I feel more authoritative in discussing them.

Wealth is both perplexing and captivating. It's said that rich and powerful figures often populate novels because their life choices are constrained in ways similar to those of ordinary people, who must primarily focus on survival.

Any Brown or South Asian individual will undoubtedly be familiar with the largest Indian wedding in history. Perhaps only the Great Mughals possessed the wealth or inclination to host more extravagant affairs.

Ironically, this grand event isn't even a wedding; it's a "pre-wedding" celebration for Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani, the heir apparent of the senior Ambani.

The Ambani family traces its origins to a remarkably gifted founder, Dhirubhai, who, despite being a talented student, was compelled by family circumstances to work as a petrol pump attendant in the 1950s. A movie has been made depicting his incredible rags-to-riches journey; from a petrol pump attendant in Yemen to dominating the oil refinery business in India.

Upon his sudden passing shortly after the millennium, his two heirs engaged in a protracted battle reminiscent of an Indian version of Dune, with perhaps a touch of Game of Thrones. Throughout it all, the two brothers lived in the same building until the elder brother, Mukesh, finally moved out into his very own palatial tower, Antilia. At the time, this decision provoked global opprobrium as his luxury tower overlooked the Dharavi slum.

With space for allegedly 168 classic cars, Mukesh took luxury to another level. It was when his children began to marry that opulence reached new heights. One such wedding featured Hillary Clinton and John Kerry dancing Bhangra, although they were absent from this pre-wedding ceremony.

The words flow easily in this revised piece, but I'm debating how cutting and brusque to be (maybe not this time). While I have many thoughts on the Ambanis, is it my place to judge?

I am concerned about the concept of hedonic inflation. Anant, the groom-to-be, wore a $1.8 million watch, while his mother donned a necklace valued anywhere from $30 to $50 million. It begs the question: who is the Ambani family aiming to impress? Are they seeking to captivate an Indian audience or to capture the world's attention?

Or perhaps they simply desire a super-luxurious (pre) wedding for their close friends, family, and 1,200 other VIP guests. Their intentions remain inscrutable, but one cannot accuse them of being great intellects for various reasons I won't delve into.