Pop star Justin Bieber brought the house down at Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's pre-wedding festivities, which also saw film stars Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, and Ranbir Kapoor light up the stage with back-to-back memorable performances.
Bieber arrived in Mumbai on Friday morning before setting the stage at the Jio Convention Centre on fire at night with his chartbusters such as "Baby", "Peaches", "Love Yourself", and "Sorry".
The crowd sang and grooved along with the Canadian singer, who attained the status of a teen idol following the success of his debut extended play album "My World" in 2009.
In attendance were the who's who of the entertainment industry and sports arena, including Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, and Janhvi Kapoor as well as cricket stars MS Dhoni, and members of the T20 Cricket World Cup winning team Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Surya Kumar Yadav.
The vibe was easy and the mood was light, according to several videos from the much-talked-about event trending on social media.
In one of the clips, Bieber, 30, can be seen dancing with internet sensation Orry. In another, Alaviaa Jaffrey, daughter of Jaaved Jaaferi, is spotted hugging the two-time Grammy winner who continues with his performance with his admirer in embrace.
Bieber, who flew out to Miami after his special performance at the sangeet, was paid USD 10 million to perform at the event.
This wasn't his first time performing in India. The singer last came to the country in 2017 for his maiden concert. Bieber was supposed to return in 2022 for the India show of his 'Justice World Tour' but cancelled due to health reasons.
Another highlight of the star-studded gala was Salman and Anant's performance on the superstar's hit song "Aisa Pehli Baar Hua Hai" from "Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega.." (2000)
The duo entered the stage on an ATV bike and what followed was an entertaining act by Salman on the track with the to-be-groom trying to match the star's steps.
Ranveer gave an energising performance on the foot-tapping number "Ishq Di Gali Vich No Entry" from the 2005 multi-starrer "No Entry".
Real-life couple and Brahmastra co-stars Alia and Ranbir shook a leg with Akash Ambani on the latter's song "Show Me The Thumka" from the 2023 movie "Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar".
Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Shanaya Kapoor, and Shikhar Pahariya, and Veer Pahariya can be seen dancing to the song "Maria Maria" from "Partner" (2007), starring Salman and Govinda in the lead.
In another video from the event, celebrity couples Madhuri Dixit Nene-Sriram Nene and Vidya Balan-Siddharth Roy Kapur were seen chatting away animatedly with Mukesh Ambani, father of the groom.
Dressed in traditional finery, the entire Ambani family danced to "Deewangi Deewangi", the party anthem from 2007's "Om Shanti Om", starring Shah Rukh Khan.
The performance opened with Akash and entrepreneur Anand Piramal, Isha Ambani's husband, on the stage. They were soon joined by their wives Shloka Mehta and Isha.
Matriarch Nita Ambani enters next, followed by Mukesh Ambani who waves to the audience. Anant and Radhika then stepped onto the stage to dance along with the clan.
Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, Atlee, Priya Atlee, Varun Dhawan, Natasha Dalal, Aryan Khan, Ananya Panday, Navya Nanda, Sara Ali Khan, and Ibrahim Ali Khan were also present at the sangeet.
After months-long pre-wedding festivities, Anant and Radhika, daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant, will finally tie the knot on July 12 here.
The celebrations kickstarted on March 1 in Gujarat's Jamnagar, known for the world's largest refinery, which is owned by Reliance Industries.
Previously, pop diva Rihanna performed at Anant and Radhika's pre-wedding festivities in Jamnagar.
Last month, singer Katy Perry, pop group Backstreet Boys, and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli performed at the couple's cruise tour party in Italy and the South of France.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.