R.K. Chudawala, a diamond merchant in New Delhi, added sparkle to his wedding last year by hiring top Bollywood stars to attend the celebrations – but he comes over all coy when asked for details. “The idea was to stun the guests, make the mood glamorous and bring Bollywood into our lives,” said Chudawala, 34, as he recalled his eight-day wedding party held in Singapore. The lengthy extravaganza was sprinkled with an array of Indian film and television stars, who flew in to mingle with family and friends at evening parties, as well as to dance with the bride and groom. For Chudawala, it was an impressive display of his family's wealth and influence, and his house in Delhi is full of photographs showing smiling wedding guests posing with Bollywood pin-ups. Sanjay Dharewa, who owns a celebrity management company in the eastern city of Kolkata, explains that the rented “star guest” phenomenon is due to newly-rich Indian families seeking prestige to underline their wealth. – AP “Hiring Bollywood actors to make a guest appearance at a wedding is the best way to entertain guests,” he said. “It displays your spending power.” __
