Global warming, who? The actual cost of the Ambani wedding

As Anant Ambani's much-anticipated wedding to Radhika Merchant is seemingly, finally, done (umm, not sure yet, maybe a pre-reception is on the way?), the Ambani family's love for extravagance has once again sparked global interest.

From star-studded performances to lavish venues spanning continents, the celebrations have exemplified luxury on a scale that is difficult for the ordinary mind to imagine. Netizens across social media platforms were in uproar after a Reddit post spilled the wedding bill of Rs 5,000 crore! Like, what? Well, when it comes to Ambani weddings, even budgets have budgets, it seems.

As the eye-wateringly dazzling celebrations grabbed attention, however, they eclipsed a harsh reminder of the environmental impact created by a supposedly environment-conscious family.

Starting with what is yet unknown to many of us, the groom Anant Ambani, well-known for his wildlife conservation advocacy, is leading the Vantara project, a sanctuary near Gujarat's Jamnagar, purportedly dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of endangered species. Well, Anant the role model has come under fire after photos emerged of him wearing what appeared to be a crocodile-skin jacket during his pre-wedding sangeet ceremony.

This conflict between personal choices and professed principles sparked a debate on the internet, raising concerns about the legitimacy of Anant's dedication to the environment. The rich often seem to forget that with great brand deals and PR come great responsibility and scrutiny. Remember PETA ambassadors eating non-vegetarian food?

Second on the checklist was the reported use of three Falcon-2000 jets to fly visitors from all around the world to Mumbai. These private jets, noted for their elegance and efficiency, represent the event's exclusivity, but also reveal its huge carbon footprint.

With each plane making heaven knows how many journeys, the accumulated emissions from such air travel highlight the event's role in fueling global warming — a stark contrast to Anant's environmental activism. The world is a global village and it revolves around the ultra-rich. And the ultra-rich, be it the Ambanis or Taylor Swift, have one thing in common — they ignore their carbon footprints.

As Mumbai's streets were cordoned off and the city braced for the influx of guests and heightened security measures, the spectacle raised broader questions about the societal costs of such extravagance, about the inequalities and environmental challenges exacerbated by unchecked luxury. 

As the global elite gathered to witness and participate in the ‘grandeur’, we, the common spectators, were left with questions such as, for how much longer can the elite profess virtue but practice vice? How much longer can they cloak their ignorance in privilege?