Performance by Shah Rukh, venue a castle: India’s most expensive wedding worth Rs 500 crore was of…, not Mukesh Ambani, Nita Ambani’s daughter Isha Ambani, host was…

Big, grand Indian weddings are famous around the world — and for good reason. They’re full of life, colors, rituals, and of course, food that seems never-ending. But among all the luxurious Indian weddings, one stands out for its jaw-dropping cost — the 2013 wedding of Shristi Mittal, daughter of businessman Pramod Mittal, to investment banker Gulraj Behl. Yes, you heard that right — this wedding is said to have cost a staggering  60 million Euros (about Rs. 505 crore) That’s half a thousand crores spent on one celebration, making it one of the most expensive weddings not just in India, but globally.

According to reports by the Spanish news outlet Vanitatis (and quoted by Moneylife.in), this wedding ranks among the top five most expensive weddings in history. As per Forbes, it could even take the second spot on the list — coming just after the legendary 1981 wedding of Abu Dhabi’s ruler Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Princess Salama, which cost around Euros 76.25 million.

Even the iconic royal wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, which reportedly cost €53 million — falls behind Shristi’s wedding in terms of spending.

Interestingly, another Indian wedding also made this elite list. Lakshmi Mittal, who was one of the richest men in the world, spent a whopping €46 million (Rs. 3,95,88,89,513 approx) on his daughter Vanisha Mittal’s wedding to Amit Bhatia back in 2004. That celebration still holds the third spot.

A royal affair in Spain

In 2013, Pramod Mittal’s daughter, Srishti Mittal, married investment banker Gulraj Behl in a wedding that redefined extravagance. The celebrations stretched over a full week and took place in some of the most breathtaking locations in Spain. One of the highlights was a grand ceremony held at the iconic Palace of Versailles, followed by a royal-style reception at a stunning castle.

What made the wedding even more impressive was the scale of the hospitality. Over 200 chefs and butlers were specially flown in from India and Thailand to Barcelona to cater to the guests — ensuring that every detail, from the cuisine to the service, was top-tier.

Barcelona was chosen as Pramod Mittal is said to be an ardent admirer of the works of Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi. The main wedding ceremony was held at the National Museum of Catalan Art atop a hill.

The culinary spread was laid out by Michelin-star chef Sergi Arola. A 60kg, six-storey wedding cake was cut by the couple.

The three-day extravaganza brought Barcelona to a standstill. Helicopters hovered over the celebrations to take the wedding snaps.

Star-studded entertainment like no other

The Mittal wedding wasn’t just grand — it was straight out of a movie set. Global pop icon Kylie Minogue was flown in to perform, and she was reportedly paid a whopping £200,000 (2,19,59,220.00 Indian Rupee) for just a 30-minute act.

Adding a personal and creative touch, Javed Akhtar penned a special play for the occasion, which was performed by the Mittal family themselves to narrate the love story of the bride and groom.

As for Bollywood glamour — it was in full swing. Stars like Juhi Chawla, Rani Mukherjee, and Saif Ali Khan lit up the stage with energetic performances of their most popular songs. And the biggest crowd-puller? Shah Rukh Khan, who was reportedly paid £300,000 (Rs. 3,29,30,100) to perform.

From fairytale weddings to financial woes

Back in 2013, Pramod Mittal was in the spotlight for all the right reasons — hosting one of the most luxurious weddings the world had ever seen for his daughter in Spain. But just a few years later, the story took a dramatic turn.

According to a report by India.com, Pramod Mittal’s downfall was rooted in risky financial moves he had made earlier. That same year, he had acted as a guarantor for a massive loan — around USD 166 million — taken by GIKIL, a metallurgical company based in Bosnia. Unfortunately, when the company failed to repay the loan, Mittal was held accountable.

What looked like a temporary financial hiccup in 2013 soon spiraled out of control. By 2020, the situation had worsened so much that he was facing bankruptcy and even legal troubles that landed him behind bars.

From hosting a fairytale wedding to facing a personal financial nightmare, Mittal’s journey is a stark reminder of how quickly fortunes can change.

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