Prime minister Narendra Modi led a high-profile crowd in congratulating newly-married couple actress Priyanka Chopra and American singer Nick Jonas at their reception in Delhi on Tuesday (4 December).
Modi arrived amid tight security to be a part of the special day of the actress, who first made India proud by winning the Miss World crown in 2000, and then became a leading actress in Hindi cinema, followed by a rare successful crossover into Hollywood.
The prime minister, who was escorted on stage by Priyanka’s mother Madhu Chopra, was dressed in a white kurta-pyjama with a black Nehru jacket. He remained on stage for about 10 minutes, meeting Nick and Priyanka’s families with folded hands and exchanging pleasantries.
Priyanka introduced her brother-in-law Joe Jonas and his to-be-wife, Game Of Thrones actress Sophie Turner, to Modi.
The couple of the night posed with panache. Priyanka dazzled in an elegant white bejewelled ensemble with a multi-layered diamond necklace and earrings, with her hair neatly tied in a bun complete with white roses. She flaunted the traditional red bangles worn by a Punjabi bride and sported vermillion. Nick was dressed in a velvet dinner jacket and completed the look with a bow tie.
The venue, the Durbar Hall at the Taj Palace Hotel, was done up elegantly with exotic white and soft pink flowers, and the ‘NP’ icon, for Nick-Priyanka, which has remained a staple throughout the couple’s wedding, stood out on the elaborate stage.
Candles flickered away at different spots of the venue which was enlivened by the sound of live music and a free flow of cocktails and a wide variety of food.
There was also an element of quirk with a vintage car which read ‘Just Married’.
Guests, which mostly included Priyanka’s family members, also saw veteran designers Ritu Kumar and Ritu Beri, along with Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) president Sunil Sethi, in attendance.
Kumar was touched by Priyanka’s invitation.
“I remember Priyanka had come to me first before she was going for the Miss World pageant, and I had told her to wear a lot of ethnic wear. She wore some of my designs. I am very happy for her. She has come a long way,” Kumar told IANS, a news agency.
The gala evening was preceded by a three-day extravaganza in Jodhpur’s majestic Umaid Bhawan Palace, where Priyanka, 36, and Nick, 26, exchanged wedding vows as per Christian and Hindu rituals in two separate ceremonies.
Their pre-wedding rituals at the celebrations, which saw participation from just a little over 200 guests, included a mehendi ceremony. There was also a friendly cricket match between the two families, as well as a glitzy and power-packed musical evening.
Of her wedding, Priyanka, a National Award-winning actress who has made her name in Hollywood as the lead star in American show Quantico, told People.com of her wedding, “I love that our wedding was a religious mash-up.
“We took beautiful traditions that we both grew up with and personalised them in a way that made sense for us. It’s been incredible to find the commonalities between our beliefs and figuring out how to blend them in a respectful and meaningful way.”