The past few days seem to have put India’s Karachi, i.e. Mumbai on the trending map. No, it’s not for actress Kareena Kapoor-Khan’s green-eyed son and it’s definitely not for Janhvi Kapoor’s ‘Dhadak’ promotions. This one was for the much-hyped over and much-talked about engagement ceremony of Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta. THE LOVE STORY – Akash Ambani who is Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani’s eldest son proposed to his longtime girlfriend and childhood friend Shloka Mehta earlier this year in Goa. Akash and Shloka Mehta studied together at Dhirubhai Ambani International School. Shloka is the youngest daughter of diamantaire Russell Mehta. The couple is reported to tie the knot in December this year. Both the families were in talks for a very long time now, but it was only recently in Goa that things materialised between them. THE WHO’S WHO – their engagement ceremony and after party was attended by nearly all the Bollywood celebrities who happened to be in town, the likes of which were Mr & Mrs Shahrukh Khan, John Abraham, Mrs & Mrs Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Ranbir Kapoor, Boney Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Karan Johar, Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan and Kiran Rao among others. THE ROYAL ARRANGEMENTS – luxury French bakery Laduree arranged the fare for the event, while the event management was done by Seven Steps Wedding. Californian floral designer Karen Tran managed the floral arrangements. The menu for the engagement was designed by Mumbai-based catering company Foodlink Banquets & Catering, which caters for events across the globe. WHAT STOLE THE SHOW – now coming to the actual affair, as mentioned earlier how the Bollywood bigwigs turned heads at the red carpet, it was heartwarming to see both new and old couples steal the show, making the paparazzi letting it become all about the movie stars than the actual host couple of Akash and Shloka. The big, fat desi engagement ceremony of the couple became a curious case of missing Bollywood spouses, surprise pairings, absent girlfriends but also full attendance of the Mr and the Mrs. As hours rolled by and social media went abuzz with the red carpet looks and arrivals, it turned out Akash and Shloka were seen less on our timelines and the Bollywood brigade shone as always. First and foremost, Shahrukh Khan and Gauri Khan made their entry, glittering and sparkling in matching monochrome outfits. The couple posed for the cameras together, with Shahrukh’s hand on his wife’s waist the whole time, signifying the message of love, which was the night was about anyway. With that dazzling Falguni Shane Peacock anarkali gown, Gauri made a statement with her side-swept curls. Her make-up was done by Mehk Oberoi which was all about black smoky eyes and a glossy lip colour. The couple is a regular at all of Ambani’s bashes and ceremonies and it goes without saying that they couldn’t miss it for the world. The next to make an entry was Mr & Mrs Priyanka Chopra. Err… we mean Priyanka Chopra and singer Nick Jonas. The couple has been in the news lately for being in love and dating openly now, and it felt as if Chopra, who is always very private about her relationships, is now finally ready to declare her love openly. All eyes were on the couple as they exited their car, and posed for the cameras, hand in hand. Chopra wore an eye-catching red sari by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla. Her make-up and hair totally complemented this look. It was about a red lip colour, soft smoky eyes and tousled waves. Jonas wore a black tux. If we are to be honest, Jonas looked really uncomfortable and confused, coming across as timid and frightened, not smiling once, as opposed to Chopra who was bold and confident, leading him like a boss! That said, the couple was the most talked about during the affair. Akash and Shloka who? With two couples openly declaring their love and fondness at the Ambani event, many eyebrows raised as married hunks John Abraham and Harbhajan Singh showed up without their significant others. Raving beauties Priya Runchall and Geeta Basra were nowhere to be seen. Why? Wish we knew. Mrs Aamir Khan – Kiran Rao also showed up sans hubby, posing for the cameras with ace filmmaker Karan Johar only. Rao kept her look simple by opting for a white dress and a mustard jacket, completing her look with those statement specs and chappals. But where was Mr Dangal? Another lady who showed without her better half was Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan. The actress held on to her daughter, as she made her way in, wearing a stunning black off-shoulder gown and smiling from ear to ear for the cameras? Where was AB Junior? We all wondered. New couple Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor did show up, but not together. They made separate entries, confusing the media and all those present. Looking refreshing as ever, Bhatt knows how to balance her look. With that Manish Malhotra sari, she went for a soft make-up look with a light pink lip colour, strong brows and kohl-rimmed eyes. Also, not to miss her gajra-adorned bun. Apparently, Akash and Shloka’s wedding is expected to be a four to five-day starry affair that will see the who’s who of Bollywood and politics onDecember 8 this year. Published in Daily Times, July 1st 2018.