BENGALURU: The Janardhan Reddy family wedding promises to be a spectacle like never before. Reddy, who is paying homage to his king-size aspirations (he believes himself to be a reincarnation of the 16th-century king Krishnadevaraya), is attempting to create a mini-Hampi, a replica of the erstwhile Vijayanagara empire, as the setting for his daughter’s marriage.
The wedding venue includes palaces and structures resembling the famous Lotus Mahal, Vijaya Vittala temple and Mahanavami Dibba with Bollywood art directors Sujeet Sawant and Sriram Iyengar working on design. Horses, elephants, camels and chariots will lend even more pomp to the ceremony.
King-size aspirations aside, Reddy will also return to his roots by recreating his childhood home in Belagavi, popularly known as Hale Mane. Few people know that the mining-baron, famed for his lavish lifestyle, is the son of a mid-level policeman. The Hale Mane will be one of the main attractions of the event.
It has also been reported that Reddy wants his daughter’s kanyadaan (when the father hands over his daughter to the groom) to take place here. The wooden replica is being made by artists from Chennai and Hyderabad, who have been brought down expressly for this purpose. The Vittala Temple replica is being set up on 38-acres of land, with over a 100 labourers at work at any time of the day.
According to sources, the total expense for the wedding, including food, is expected to exceed Rs 200 crore. Rumours of performances by Shah Rukh Khan and Prabhu Deva along with a host of other celebrities, are also doing the rounds. A meeting, under the leadership of veteran director Mr Sai Prakash will finalise the list of celebrities expected to perform at the wedding function.
Over 1,500 rooms in top star hotels across the city have been booked, along with 2000 cabs. 15 helipads are also reportedly being prepared at Palace Grounds for the estimated 30,000 guests.
Reddy, who was arrested by the CBI on charges of illegal mining, has been out on bail since January 20, 2015. He was barred from visiting Ballari and Kadapa during the bail period by the Supreme Court. In view of his daughter's marriage, Mr Reddy submitted a plea to the top court to permit him to visit Ballari and the apex court relaxed the restrictions for 21 days - from November 1 to 21.
