To find the Ambani wedding distasteful

I think any event that involves the Kardashians is tacky.

Like any British wedding.

Indian weddings are normally multi day events.

People in this country could just send their wedding money to an Indian village family if they actually care though. And they don't. But they'll give a family shit that have given literally hundreds of millions to charity.

Any excessive display of wealth anywhere is about as moral as the next one. Just because you're in England doesn't mean you can have a justifiably fancier wedding, your £££ wedding could have changed lives worldwide, you could all run down Western Union instead, but you don't. But rich Indian people doing rich Indian stuff in India is bad and they should know their place🙄

Just one (if many) example of the casual racism:

Utterly ridiculous to compare this six month fiasco to the wedding of Prince William, which lasted one day like any normal wedding.

See also, the description of gold décor as 'tacky' and 'vulgar'.

The shock that they've dared to invite guests that are not from India! (I believe it was something like "Bollywood but why invite Hollywood")

If this thread's purpose was to discuss the wealth disparity, fair enough. But it's not. It's just a cover for the usual MN racists.

I am sure those in poverty in the UK are feeling better knowing that the gulf between themselves and the Royal Family is at least not as extreme.

The poverty in the Uk is on a different level to the absolute poverty in India. The gulf between the wealthy and poorest is extreme in India.

I think we are in agreement? My point is that people/nations in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones and we don’t need to look to far from home for examples of lavish extravagance when a significant percentage of the population are living in poverty.

ibelieveshereallyistgedevil

Ah yes, so different to here. Someone from a Wigan council estate would never be looked down on in this country…“

I was from a Brixton council estate. Never been looked down on as far as I know.

I am well versed with the inequities of the caste system @JudgeJ since I am Indian. Foreign aid is a complex matter which needs a separate thread, but your conclusion- having visited once- that absolutely nothing is being done for the Indian poor by those wealthier is a massive generalisation, nevertheless. it's a bit like claiming all Americans love guns and encourage gun violence.

I will continue to donate to grassroots Indian charities whose books I have personally inspected and which do far more for India than Westerners who parachute in.

Not at all 'sweeping' simply my experience of India a few years ago. The caste system is very entrenched and will continue, until India does more for their poor they are wrong to beg others to do so via TV adverts etc..

There are some very rich people in India.

It's absolutely bonkers.

I saw him described online as having a body like an orangina bottle, which made me laugh.

All big extravagant over the top weddings are distasteful

I've been to India and seen the poverty firsthand. People living Along side a high speed train track, using open spaces to do their toilet, makeshift tent villages alongside main roads. And more. It hit home pretty hard and to see such wealth flaunted disgusts me.

It's tacky as anything. But rich people have wasted money on showing off since the dawn of time. If it's not weddings it's submarines or mansions. At least this money is back in circulation rather than sitting in the bank.
Not sure why some people think it's worse because they are Indian - it's 2024, the megarich all over the world are well clued up on global inequality. Why hold these particular rich people to higher standards.

Yes, it is a bit ott. But for them the percentage spent is probably no different than for middle class couples in the UK spending £20k.

Also to be fair to them, they do a lot of charitable work through Reliance foundation, partner with Bill Gates etc. These Uber wealthy families often do a lot of philanthropic work, more than the government probably! They do a lot for girls and women in particular which is good thing in India.

I think the "they paid guests" has been misinterpreted. They certainly paid the entertainment, I can't believe they paid other high profile guests. Maybe I'm naive.

Well to be a little more precise they have spent plenty of our money on these. It makes me laugh when one of them preaches about wanting to end homelessness: well if you are serious about that you could start by paying inheritance tax like the rest of us, perhaps consider giving up one of your lavish homes? Stop robbing the taxpayers and stop being secretive about your wealth.

I just don't think we as a nation are in a position to feel superior to other nations; just because the poverty is less blatant we know it exists and the inequality is here, and we tolerate it. And btw some of the worst poverty and abuses have just been exported overseas by us; eg every time we buy fast fashion (knowing how it has been produced) like it or not we contribute to it.

I also have a feeling that the size of the wedding is more the idea of the parents as is usually the case in these situations.

I do think it's ridiculous
but...

apparently the groom has been ill hence the weight gain... he used to be slim. thehr bride and groom have been together since before he was unwell and she was stuck with him. she is also stupidly wealthy so hardly in it for the money.

also they did a lot of charitable things as part of the wedding celebrations eg. feeds thousands of impoverished individuals. also paying for weddings for 50 impoverished couples. that doesn't sound important, but in India helping a couple get married is a massive help for a myriad of reasons.

still think all this is ridiculously unnecessary

This is genius. Truly sums Bojo up.

Should I donate to Oxfam and Western evangelical charities instead @JudgeJ? Your judgements are very sweeping.

Blair would turn up for the opening of an envelope if It were made worth his while!

The usual attempt the close down criticism, the r word.

It doesn't surprise me at all, when we were touring India the attitude of our guide to the driver was dreadful, he, the guide, was of a much higher caste than the driver apparently, he didn't know the driver's name even though they always worked together. I would never donate to Indian charities, no-one abused the poor Indians as much as the rich indians.

Utterly ridiculous to compare this six month fiasco to the wedding of Prince William, which lasted one day like any normal wedding.