Cover Priyanka Chopra Jonas sparkles in an Elie Saab number with husband Nick Jonas (Photo: Instagram / @ nmacc.india)

Gigi Hadid’s ‘Bollywood dreams [came] true’ at the star-studded grand opening of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai, India, and here are six moments that took the internet by storm

On March 31, philanthropist Nita Ambani, along with her billionaire husband Mukesh Ambani, inaugurated the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai, India. 

The two-day gala opening for the centre that promises to create a multi-disciplinary cultural space to showcase the country’s finest offerings in music, theatre, arts and culture drew celebrities from all over the world, from Hollywood’s It couple Zendaya and Tom Holland to supermodel Gigi Hadid. Of course, all of Bollywood also descended upon the event in full glory. Priyanka Chopra Jonas was dressed in a colourful gown made out of a 65-year-old Benarasi sari, while Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wore a heavily embellished black salwar suit.

As you can tell, the star-studded affair saw some stunning fashion moments, but it also saw plenty of other memorable moments—here are are six of the best. 

Read more: The best dressed Indian celebs at the Dior Fall 2023 show in Mumbai

1. Nita Ambani’s speech and dance performance

The powerful woman after whom the centre was named was a vision in pink as she performed a traditional dance to Raghupati Ragav Raja Ram at NMACC’s Grand Theatre. She also stole the show with her opening speech, which was both warm and inspiring: “As an ode to our nation, the cultural centre aims to preserve and promote Indian arts. I hope our spaces nurture and inspire talent, [and bring] together communities from across India and the globe.”

2. Zendaya and Tom Holland posing with Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan

It was a dream-come-true moment for Marvel and Bollywood fans when photos of Tom Holland and Zendaya posing with Bollywood A-listers Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan surfaced on the internet. With Holland’s Spider-Man 4 officially in development, and the two Khans featuring prominently in the Bollywood spy universe, this photo gave way to speculations—and wishful thinking—about a possible crossover between the MCU and Bollywood spy thrillers. Maybe in another multiverse! 

3. Gigi Hadid’s Bollywood dreams

Gigi Hadid thanked Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan for “making [her] Bollywood dreams come true” after he lifted her up in his arms while dancing to a Bollywood number during a stage performance. Hadid looked resplendent in a heavily embellished gold-hued sari with intricate chikankari work by luxury label Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla.

4. Priyanka Chopra Jonas back in Bollywood

Priyanka Chopra Jonas marked her homecoming to India with two drop-dead gorgeous looks at the NMACC opening: on day one, she sparkled in a sheer Elie Saab number with husband Nick Jonas; and on day two, she paid homage to her heritage in a colourful gown made out of a 65-year-old Benarasi patola sari. The star couple wrapped up the event with an impromptu date night in an auto-rickshaw.

5. ‘Naatu Naatu’ performance from RRR

Bollywood’s A-listers like Shah Rukh Khan, Ranveer Singh and Varun Dhawan took to the stage to shake a leg to their popular songs on day two of the gala event, but it was an impromptu performance by actress Alia Bhatt that delighted fans the most. During the dance performance to RRR’s Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu, Bhatt climbed up onto the stage barefoot and nailed the signature hook-step that’s become the most popular part of the dance number.

6. ‘The Great Indian Musical’ performance

The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation, a musical extravaganza by theatre director Feroz Abbas Khan, premiered at the Grand Theatre on opening night. The programme traces the journey of India’s artistic and cultural history through performances by more than 350 artists, including a 55-piece live orchestra led by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra—making it the largest ever stage production in India.  

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