Abhishek, Ash set for big, fat fairy tale wedding

With only two days left for the AbhiAsh wedding, the countdown has begun. From the 16-page gold-embossed wedding card to the Z-grade security ring with 300 guards and rumoured swipe cards for entry, the minutiae of the celebrity event have all in a tizzy.

After Abhishek Bachchan, the scion of Bollywood's first family, and Aishwarya Rai, one of the most beautiful women in the world, got engaged in January following the premiere of their film "Guru", no stone is being left unturned by the Bachchans for the upcoming nuptials.

Though the April-20 wedding date is neither confirmed nor denied by the two families concerned, ongoing hectic preparations are proof that the mega wedding is going to take place as scheduled at the Bachchan bungalow in the posh locality of Juhu, Mumbai.

The two Bachchan bungalows - Prateeksha and Jalsa - now resemble well-guarded fortresses and workers can be seen constructing the mandap (dais) within the bungalow premises.

The ceremonies are set to start from April 18 with mehndi (henna), followed by sangeet (music) the next day. According to reliable sources, a special kind of mehndi has been ordered for the ceremony, like the one brought by Liz Hurley for her marriage with Arun Nayar last month.

The sangeet preparations are apparently entrusted to Abhishek's Delhi-based sister Shweta Nanda. Shweta's friends are queuing up to her, as they want to perform to the song "Kajra-re" from "Bunty Aur Babli" for the ceremony. Ace choreographer Sandeep Soparker has been roped in to teach dance steps to Abhishek's friends for the occasion.

Security has been beefed up to 'Z' grade and over 300 guards are deployed to tackle any eventuality, like gatecrashers or crazy fans breaking in. Rumour has it that the guests will have to use swipe cards for entry.

Some last-minute invitees are being included in the guest list, this time from the bride's side. The wedding card along with boxes of cookies-chocolates is now being dashed off to the bride's filmmaker-friends along with a personal request from the bride to be, her mother or her secretary.

The wedding card is embossed in gold and personally signed by groom's father Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya's parents.

The wedding is going to be a close-knit affair as Amitabh's mother Teji Bachchan is ailing. Invitees have been sworn to secrecy about the wedding details and also about the contents and look of the wedding card, the dress code, etc.

"The fact is every guest is under an unwritten oath of secrecy. We aren't even allowed to talk about the wedding among ourselves. I'm not even discussing it with my wife. We're being offered money by sections of the media to divulge details. One newspaper, which wanted to be shown the wedding card, even offered me the equivalent of what I make for five days of shooting. I naturally refused," said an invitee.

regarious pals of the Bachchans, like Karan Johar, have retreated into a shell, pretending to be immersed in work or shooting to avoid talking about the wedding.

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