Dubai: Danube heir Adel Sajan is marrying his school sweetheart Sana Khan on a luxury liner in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea today and his dad, flamboyant Dubai businessman Rizwan Sajan, has pulled out all the stops to make their D-day a jaw-dropping lavish affair to remember.
And since money is not an issue with Sajan Sr (Ranked seventh on Forbes list of Top 100 Indian Leaders in the UAE), he has chartered a vessel from Italy-headquartered Costa Cruises aboard which some 1,100 high profile guests including Bollywood stars and top UAE businessmen will enjoy four days of unlimited revelry in true Bollywood style.
Already hundreds have flown to Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region to board the 114,500 tonne Costa Fascinosa which will set sail at 4pm UAE time on April 6, calling at Marseilles, Cannes and Savona until April 9.
Inspired by a movie
The fairy-tale celebrations will be themed on Dil Dhadakne Do, a 2015 Indian comedy drama film shot majorly on a cruise.
That said, each evening will have a sub theme complete with music, contextual dress codes and exquisite cuisine prepared by a team of 75 chefs pitchforked by the Sajan family from different parts of the world.
“The wedding of my only son Adel is by far the most awaited event of my life and words cannot express the joy I feel. My wife Sameera and I are eager to welcome the lovely Sana into our family and look forward to extending a long and joyful relationship with the entire Khan family.
“We have planned a unique celebration for all our guests and have gauged every little detail of the wedding to make it special for the couple. We are excited to host all our distinguished guests and await the merriments that the union of Sana and Adel will bring,” said Rizwan Sajan, founder and chairman of building material company Danube.
As big as it gets
One of India’s biggest wedding planners, Wedniksha, has been roped in to make the event a grand success. At their insistence, the entire decor of the ship has been changed to reflect the charms of Indian traditions. Even the access cards used for cabins have been personalised for the guests.
Neil Palomba, president of Costa Cruises, said this is the first time that a cruise ship has been exclusively booked by a private individual for a family celebration.
Winner of Bigg Boss reality show Gauhar Khan, Bollywood stars Shilpa and Shamita Shetty, rapper Badshah, and music composers Meet Bros and Vishal-Shekhar will be among the celebrities on board.
Dubai-based singer Neha Pandey will perform with Meet Bros on the first day. “It’s a big honour for me to perform before such an august gathering. I have got butterflies in my stomach,” she beamed.
A Dubai-based socialite who is on the guest list said she can’t wait to post pictures of the celebrations on social media. “All my friends will be so envious,” she said.
Love at second sight
Adel and Sana first met at a fashion walk when they were in high school. However, love blossomed when they met next around six years later.
Adel joined his father’s business after graduating from The American University of Sharjah and has recently launched his maiden venture Danube Home.
Sana Khan is an ex-beauty queen and a qualified dentist.
