28 November,2010 01:09 AM IST | | Varun Singh and Urvashi Seth pics/ Shadab Khan
Maharashtra's ex-Revenue Minister Narayan Rane's son Nitesh's wedding will keep chefs from Malwan to Agra, and even Italy busy this evening
Nearly 20,000 people are expected to attend a wedding reception for Nitesh Rane, son of Minister for Industry, Port, Employment and Self-employment in the government of Maharashtra, Narayan Rane, to Pune-based Rutuja Shinde, at the Turf Club, Mahalaxmi racecourse this evening.
(From left) Proud dad: Narayan Rane, smug groom: Nitesh Rane,
coy bride: Rutuja Shinde and mommy dearest: Nilima Rane
This is the second time this venue will be used be for a Rane wedding -- in 2007, older son Nilesh Rane's nuptials were also conducted here.
Nitesh Rane and Shinde were engaged in June this year.
Copyright card
Although they declined to comment on the rate of the card, sources say each copyrighted invite is pegged at a cool Rs 700, no less. And the card that reached us was accompanied by a box of sweets and dry-fruits. Copyrighting aside, it seems like the cards were printed before Rane took over his new portfolio, because the invite refers to him as Revenue Minister.
The glitterati
And where politics is, can celebrities be far behind? Famous invitees expected to attend tonight's extravaganzau00a0 include actors Jackie Shroff, Salman Khan, Suneil Shetty and Nagma. State ministers and Congress leaders are expected to drop by to the give the couple their blessings. People from the Rane camp refused to comment, but sources say Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan is also expected to attend the shaadi.
The stage
Even though the rains have been playing hide and seek this November, the Ranes have decided to risk an open-air wedding. The decoration at the Turf Club was so massive, when our photographer tried clicking pictures, he assumed that it was put up for three different weddings.
A massive mandapu00a0has been erected at the Turf Club in Mahalaxmi for
the Rane extravaganza scheduledu00a0for this evening
Rane Jr is expected to wear a very traditional outfit for the afternoon wedding, and a dark-coloured suit for the reception.
Food extravaganza
The wedding menu has been prepared by over 700 master chefs who were specially flown in from Malwan, Delhi, Agra, Amritsar, Hyderabad and Italy. It took several months to finalise. While the chefs from Agra are going to whip up lipsmakcing chaat, the chefs from Italy are going to dish out pasta.
Two enclosures at Turf Club have been reserved as food zones. Guests will be spoilt for choice, with more than 200 dishes spread across Lebanese, Japanese, Malwani, Hyderabadi and Thai cuisines. Vegetarian invitees need not worry, as a Gujarati menu has been made available specifically for them.
Speaking to SUNDAY MiD DAY on condition of anonymity, a chef says, "The Ranes have personally tasted each item before finalising the menu. To give a Malwani flavour to the wedding, they have flown down 150 chefs from Malwan to prepare traditional delicacies."
When we spoke to Sanjay Vsajirani, owner of Food Link services, who is looking after the catering, he confirmed that hundreds of chefs had in fact been appointed but refused to comment on the menu. "I am not supposed to disclose any details. Why don't you come enjoy the food at the wedding tomorrow and find out" he said.
Don't try to copy this wedding card!
The most interesting bit about this big fat celebration, though, is that the invitation card has been copyrighted. Bright aubergine in colour, with gold trimmings, the card that arrived ina fold-open box is 'one-of-a-kind'. The rights lie with the Rane family and Mars Art, the makers of the card. "Nobody can copy the style, design or the colour combinations and other integral parts of the card. We and the Rane family hold the copyright over it," confirmed Tarun Jain from the sales department of Mars Art. Heard that?
