After Beyonce performed at Isha Ambani's pre-wedding function, sources say Ambanis to rope in American pop rock band Maroon 5 for Akash Ambani - Shloka Mehta's sangeet next month
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; February 22, 2019)

Isha Ambani's wedding to Anand Piramal last December captured the imagination of the country, as wide-eyed fans took in the revelry that lasted for over a week. Now, the Ambanis are gearing up to host another big, fat Indian wedding - that of son Akash with fiancee Shloka Mehta on March 9.

If Isha's pre-wedding celebrations saw pop sensation Beyonce (right) belt her chartbusters at the Udaipur function, it is now heard that Maroon 5 are expected to perform at Akash and Shloka's sangeet ceremony. The American pop rock band - consisting of vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardists Jesse Carmichael and PJ Morton, bassist Mickey Madden, guitarist James Valentine, drummer Matt Flynn, and Sam Farrar - is much sought-after, with three Grammy Awards to their credit, among other gongs.

A source reveals, "Since Shloka and Akash are both fans of Maroon 5, the family thought it fitting to have them perform for the couple at the sangeet that will be held on March 8. While Akash's favourite track is Sugar in which the band is seen gatecrashing weddings, Shloka loves Move Like Jagger. Naturally, these two chartbusters have found a place in the set that the band is putting together for their gig. They are expected to perform for almost 40 minutes with other hits like She Will Be Loved, Makes Me Wonder and One More Night on the playlist. The team of sound designers that frequently works with Maroon 5 is coming down from Canada to check on the arrangements."

Roping in one of the most popular bands doesn't come easy. The source adds, "Maroon 5 is known to charge anywhere between $1mn and $1.5mn for private shows. It will be an expensive affair."

MUMBAI MIRROR (June 29, 2018)

Akash Ambani and Shloka Mehta, who are reportedly set to tie the knot in December this year, got engaged in a traditional ceremony on Thursday at the former’s Altamount Road residence. The do kicked off at 5 pm and the couple exchanged rings at 6.

Vidhu Vinod and Anupama Chopra, Shah Rukh and Gauri Khan, and Brahmastra duo Ayan Mukerji and Ranbir Kapoor were among the early birds. Their leading lady Alia Bhatt, who arrived later, opted for a pink Manish Malhotra sari, while her mentor, filmmaker Karan Johar wore a red outfit by the designer. Sachin and Anjali Tendulkar were also in attendance. Musician Shankar Mahadevan arrived with son Siddharth.

Shloka, and Akash’s sister Isha Ambani, who got enagaged to beau Anand Piramal in March this year and is likely to get married in December as well, chose lehengas from Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla’s bespoke bridal line.

Priyanka Chopra, who was accompanied to Akash and Shloka’s mehendi ceremony the previous day by mother Madhu Chopra and rumoured beau Nick Jonas, was among the last guests to arrive. The 36-year-old actress who posed for pictures with the 25-year-old American singer-actor before entering the venue, opted for an Abu-Sandeep sari for the do.

According to a source close to the family, the ring ceremony was followed by a sit-down dinner that lasted over three hours. A multi-tier cake was also cut to mark the occasion. Mukesh and Nita Ambani are scheduled to host over 100 guests on Saturday to celebrate Akash and Shloka’s engagement