Led by patriarch Mukesh, whose net wealth is an eye-watering $123.7 billion (£95bn) according to Forbes, the Ambani family is India's wealthiest dynasty.

While many billionaires opt for a discreet "stealth wealth" approach, Mukesh and his family are unabashed about their lavish lifestyles and don't shy away from over-the-top displays of indulgence. The Ambanis have caused a stir in recent years with their opulent weddings, the latest of which is estimated to have cost $300 million (£231m).

Read on to discover how the Ambanis amassed their billions and explore their eye-watering spending habits.

All dollar amounts in US dollars

The Ambani empire was founded by Dhirubhai Ambani (pictured), who was born in 1932 in the small town of Chorwad, India.

Dhirubhai was reportedly working at a petrol station in Yemen when his eldest son Mukesh was born in 1957. The ambitious father launched his first business venture just one year later, a trading company called Reliance Commercial Corporation, which primarily dealt with spices. Rounding off a busy three years, he welcomed his second son, Anil, in 1959.

In 1966, Dhirubhai founded Reliance Textiles Industries Pvt. Ltd., which rapidly expanded under his visionary leadership.

Dhirubhai (pictured here with Anil) was known for his aggressive approach to business, with his methods often criticised. He even faced allegations of stock manipulation, and one of the most infamous incidents involving Reliance and Dhirubhai came in the 1980s.

Reliance Industries was accused of manipulating the prices of its shares through various means, including circular trading and artificial rigging of the stock price. These allegations led to investigations and legal battles that lasted for years. While it was later found that some degree of manipulation did occur, no charges were filed against the company.

Despite these controversies, Reliance Industries still grew into one of the largest and most profitable conglomerates in India under Dhirubhai's leadership. The company diversified into petrochemicals, refining, and telecommunications, among other sectors.

When Dhirubhai Ambani passed away in 2002, his business was left to his sons Mukesh and Anil (shown together here). However, differences between the brothers eventually led to a split in the Reliance empire, with Mukesh retaining control over the flagship company, Reliance Industries Limited, and Anil taking charge of the telecom, power, and financial services businesses.

Under the leadership of Mukesh Ambani (pictured), Reliance Industries has expanded and diversified, with interests in industries such as petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecom, retail, and financial services. Reliance's telecom and broadcast service, Jio, boasts more than 470 million subscribers.

In 2023, the company announced the establishment of its financial arm, Jio Financial Services. Additionally, Reliance is making major investments in green energy, with plans to plough $80 billion (£62bn) into renewable projects over the next 10 to 15 years. 

Reliance is a true family affair, with all three of Mukesh's children joining the company board in 2023. 

Twins Akash and Isha oversee Jio and the retail and-ecommerce arms of the business respectively, while youngest son Anant is involved in the energy side of the firm.

The picture shows Mukesh Ambani with his wife Nita and their three children.

Further diversifying its business interests, Reliance Industries has made some significant acquisitions in recent times. Last year, for instance, it acquired a majority stake in the luxury Mandarin Oriental in New York (pictured) for $98 million (£76m).

The Mandarin Oriental, which boasts around 250 rooms and suites across 19 floors of the Deutsche Bank Centre, first opened its doors in 2003. Among its lavish amenities are over 9,000 square feet (836 square metres) of meeting space, a spa, and a fitness centre that features an impressive 75-foot (22.8 metre) indoor pool.

More recently, Reliance Industries announced the acquisition of a 13% stake in Paramount Global's TV and streaming company Viacom18 Media for $517 million (£399m). The deal, announced in March 2024, will increase Reliance's ownership of Viacom18 to 70.5%.

The acquisition is contingent on regulatory approvals and the completion of Reliance's merger with Walt Disney Co.'s TV assets in India, which is expected to be finalised by the first quarter of next year. Paramount will continue licensing its content to Viacom18 post-merger.

Viacom18 currently offers 40 TV channels, including Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV. Following the merger with Disney, Star India, under Reliance, will provide access to 98 channels across its streaming platforms and over 30,000 Disney content assets. The potential reach? Around 750 million viewers across India and overseas.

Back in 2008, Reliance Industries made headlines by purchasing the Mumbai Indian cricket team for a record-breaking $111.9 million ($163m/£126m in today's money), marking the largest sale of an Indian Premier League (IPL) team at the time. 

The company spared no expense in signing top-tier players with lucrative contracts, a strategy that has seriously paid off. Since Reliance took over, the team has clinched multiple championship titles, solidifying its status as a dominant force in cricket.

While Mukesh Ambani's leadership has seen the company achieve many successes, it's also been marred by controversy. Like his father, he has faced serious allegations of stock manipulation. 

In 2021, the Securities and Exchange Board of India fined Mukesh Ambani and Reliance Industries Ltd for allegedly manipulating shares of the subsidiary, Reliance Petroleum Ltd back in November 2007. However, the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) overturned the fine in 2023.

SAT stated that Ambani, as the Chairman and Managing Director, couldn't be held responsible for every alleged wrongdoing by the company. The tribunal highlighted evidence showing that the trades in question were conducted by senior executives without Ambani's knowledge. 

As mentioned, India's richest family isn't exactly shy when it comes to showcasing their immense wealth, starting with where they live.

They reside in an opulent 27-storey tower located in one of Mumbai's most prestigious neighbourhoods (pictured). Named Antilia after a mythical island in the Atlantic, the building cost $1 billion (£771m) to construct, making it the winner of the world's most expensive private residence in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Fellow Indian billionaire Ratan Tata, the former chairman of the Tata Group conglomerate, has been critical of the family's property. Speaking to The Times in 2011, he said: "The person who lives in there should be concerned about what he sees around him and asking [how] can he make a difference. If he is not, then it's sad because this country needs people to allocate some of their enormous wealth to finding ways of mitigating the hardship that people have."

Pictures of Antilia's interior are scarce, although it's known that its luxurious amenities include a grand temple, a salon, an ice-cream parlour, three helipads, and a movie theatre capable of seating 50 people.

Of course, managing such a property requires a team to match – and Antilia reportedly has a workforce of around 600 people.

Mukesh Ambani (pictured here with Nita) and his clan own an enviable collection of luxury cars. Stand-outs include a Mercedes Maybach 660 Guard, a BMW 760 Li, a Bentley Continental Flying Spur, and a Rolls-Royce Phantom. 

The vehicles are reportedly outfitted with bulletproof coatings to ensure the family's safety while they're on the road.

The family have frequently attracted attention for their extravagant weddings.

In 2018, Isha Ambani, Mukesh and Nita's daughter tied the knot with Indian businessman Anand Piramal (pictured). The event quickly sparked global interest when it was reported that the lavish nuptials cost a staggering $100 million (£77m).

The celebrations took place across three venues: the happy couple and their guests enjoyed an engagement party at the swanky Lake Como in Italy, a grand sangeet celebration at a palace in Udaipur, India and the wedding ceremony itself at the Ambani residence in Mumbai.

According to reports, over 100 chartered flights were needed to transport the wedding's star-studded guest list, which featured the likes of politician Hillary Clinton, media mogul Arianna Huffington, and entertainment power couple Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra (pictured in attendance). 

Adding to the opulence, Beyoncé performed a private concert, reportedly commanding a fee of between $3 million (£2.3m) and $4 million (£3.1m) for her 45-minute performance.

In gratitude to the city of Udaipur, the Ambani family provided three meals a day for 5,100 people over the course of four days.

In 2019, the wedding of Mukesh's son Akash to businesswoman Shloka Mehta also generated headlines for its opulence. The couple are pictured here.

The festivities kicked off in February, with the couple hosting a lavish three-day pre-wedding celebration in Switzerland for their close friends and family.

As is traditional in India, the wedding itself took place over three days, with the couple officially tying the knot on 9 March and holding a reception at the swanky Trident Hotel in Mumbai.

The following day, a celebration party was hosted by both the Ambani and Mehta families at the Jio World Centre, attended by a slew of business moguls and Bollywood stars. The festivities concluded with a lavish star-studded party on 11 March, also held at the Jio World Centre.

Private performances from Coldplay, Maroon 5, and The Chainsmokers made the various celebrations even more spectacular.

The wedding of the youngest son, Anant Ambani, and Indian dancer Radhika Merchant (pictured together) is the latest to hit the headlines.

Prior to the main event, a lavish pre-wedding celebration took place this March at the Ambani wildlife conservation centre, Vantara, located in Jamnagar, India. A true ode to excess, it reportedly cost $120 million (£93m).

The party included a private concert by Rihanna, and a fabulously extravagant feast, with a team of 21 chefs meticulously prepping 75 different dishes for breakfast, 225 for lunch, 275 for dinner, and 85 for a midnight meal. The star-studded bash had over 1,200 guests, including Mark Zuckerberg, Ivanka Trump, and Bill Gates.

Other pre-wedding festivities included inviting 800 guests on a chartered cruise ship for a four-day European trip in May. Guests onboard enjoyed performances by the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, and opera star Andrea Bocelli. Meanwhile, Justin Bieber performed at yet another pre-wedding celebration, reportedly earning $10 million (£7.7m). 

Anant and Radhika Merchant officially married on 12 July in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Celebrations continued with a "Shubh Ashirwad" ceremony the next day, where the couple received blessings from guests and elders, followed by a lavish wedding reception. The three-day event is estimated to have cost a staggering $300 million (£231m). 

Guests included major celebrities like Kim and Khloé Kardashian and John Cena, as well as former world leaders like Tony Blair and Boris Johnson.

Now meet the world's richest woman and discover her family secrets