During a ‘Sangeet’ party the night before an Indian wedding, it is not uncommon to see a choreographed dance to a Bollywood song.
But when the bride is herself a Bollywood star, the festivities could use a bit of a twist – which is what Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ Sangeet got Saturday night.
At the Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur, Priyanka, 36, danced to her own film songs before her movie star cousin Parineeti Chopra and some friends acted out the story of her life and relationship with her groom, the Bombay Times reports.
Knees-up: At Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ sangeet in Jodhpur Saturday night, the Bollywood star danced to some of her own film songs; the couple are pictured in September
Bollywood choreographer Ganesh Hegde, who worked with Priyanka on the 2006 film Don, cobbled together the dances for the evening.
Though Priyanka has sung professionally, these numbers were sung by playback singers for the actress to dance to onscreen, as is de rigeur in the Hindi film industry.
The bride and her mother Madhu Chopra danced into the sangeet to Ram Chahe Leela Chahe from the 2013 romantic tragedy Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela, before Priyanka went into her iconic number Desi Girl from the 2008 gay comedy Dostana.
For the song Gallan Goodiyan from 2015’s Dil Dhadakne Do, Priyanka got a little help from her bridesmaids, including Parineeti and the heiress Isha Ambani, whose father Mukesh Ambani is the richest man in Asia.
Throwback to 2012: Priyanka’s (right) movie star cousin Parineeti Chopra (left) and some friends acted out the story of her life and romance, the Bombay Times reports
As seen in the film: The bride and her mother Madhu Chopra danced into the sangeet to Ram Chahe Leela Chahe from the 2013 romantic tragedy Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela
‘The moment Galla Goodiyaan started playing, the couple pulled in the rest of their family members to dance to the track,’ an insider gabbed to the Bombay Times.
The source explained the evening’s lineup: ‘Once everyone was ready, they settled down and the evening kick-started with a performance by a Punjabi band. Interestingly, they first played some rousing English music. Then, Anusha Dandekar and a friend from Nick’s side took over the mic as hosts for the evening.’
Parineeti joined a claque of Priyanka’s pals, such as her Quantico co-star Yasmine Al Massri, for the biographical sketch, which included Nick’s proposal.
To hear this source tell it: ‘The entire evening was like a competition between the girl and boy’s side. They were pulling each other’s leg and asking questions like: “Hey, I can pronounce your name, can you pronounce mine?” and: “Can you do this Bollywood thumka?”‘ – which is to say, a hip-swinging dance move.
Remember when: Priyanka went into her iconic number Desi Girl from the 2008 gay comedy Dostana co-starring Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham
Joyous: For the song Gallan Goodiyan from 2015’s Dil Dhadakne Do (pictured), Priyanka got a little help from her bridesmaids, including Parineeti and the heiress Isha Ambani
‘There was a lovely slideshow featuring childhood pictures of Nick and Priyanka. Nick and Priyanka’s mothers shared their heartfelt thoughts on what their children meant to them. They spoke about how they both were, as kids, their growing up years and how lucky they were to be their parents. It was an emotional moment for everyone.’
Apparently, the decorations were a black-and-gold tinged affair meant to evoke peacocks, including false peacock feathers at the alfresco section of the party.
The swank evening concluded with a massive fireworks show outside Umaid Bhawan, which was captured on photo and video from a distance.
Partygoers arrived to the sight of staff and Kalbeliya tribal dancers carrying torches and modeling the local dress of Rajasthan, the state where Jodhpur is located.
Glorious: The swank evening concluded with a massive fireworks show outside the Umaid Bhawan palace, the venue in Rajasthan where the wedding was held
Nick’s pastor father Paul officiated the Christian wedding, which took place at the palace on Friday ahead of the Hindu wedding scheduled there for Sunday.
On Saturday during the day, the Sangeet was preceded by the Mehendi, which Priyanka posted several photos of to her Instagram page, prompting congratulations from both Indian stars like Alia Bhatt and American celebs like Kelly Ripa.
Typically held the day before the wedding, the Mehendi is when the bride, as well as female guests at the wedding, have henna tattoos applied to their hands.
According to the Bollywood gossip site PinkVilla, Priyanka attended her Mehendi in a gown by the duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, who have been acclaimed for their work in such Bollywood movies as Devdas.
Function after function: On Saturday during the day, the sangeet was preceded by the Mehendi, which Priyanka posted several photos of to her Instagram page
At the Hindu wedding, Priyanka will reportedly wear an outfit by the highly regarded designer Sabyasachi Mukherji, who was glimpsed arriving in Jodhpur on Friday.
Her Christian ceremony, which was officiated by Nick’s pastor father Paul, saw her decked out in Ralph Lauren – a romantic touch, considering they both represented that fashion house at the 2017 Met Gala more than a year before their engagement.
This is reputedly the first time Ralph Lauren has put together a wedding dress for a bride who is not a member of his family.
Nick is slated to have a Baaraat – a procession in which the groom arrives at his wedding on a horse, surrounded by his dancing loved ones.
Elan: According to PinkVilla , Priyanka attended her Mehendi in a gown by the duo Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla, who won a National Award for the costumes of Devdas
The Hindu marriage will be sealed with a ceremony called ‘saath phere,’ in which the bride and groom walk around a fire seven times to represent seven marital vows.
PinkVilla reports the couple have set up a pop-up-shop-like room full of Indian designer clothes at the palace for guests to find wedding attire.
A dress code has allegedly been set for Sunday suggesting peach for the women and pinks and greens for the men, according to Filmfare magazine.
Priyanka and Nick’s wedding happens to fall on the same weekend as the star-studded Bombay reception of Bollywood film star couple Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, who wore Sabyasachi to their wedding in Como last month.
Marriage material: Typically held the day before the wedding, the Mehendi is when the bride, as well as female guests at the wedding, have henna tattoos applied to their hands
The celebrity guests at Priyanka’s wedding functions include The Only Way Is Essex alumna Jasmin Walia, Armie Hammer’s wife Elizabeth Chambers and the Ambanis.
Before her whirlwind relationship with Nick, Priyanka was notoriously tight-lipped about her love life, but her name has been attached to famous men in the past.
She is rumored to have dated Aseem Merchant when she was a model, and her Love Story 2050 co-star Harman Baweja confirmed speculation they were once an item.
Priyanka was linked to her three-time onscreen leading man Shahid Kapoor, and there was unconfirmed gossip regarding the nature of her relationships with her married co-stars Akshay Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan.
History: Built during the British Raj for the ruling family of Jodhpur, Umaid Bhawan’s name means ‘Umaid’s Mansion,’ a nod to Umaid Singh, the Maharajah of Jaipur from 1918 to 1947
Built during the British Raj for the ruling family of the princely state of Jodhpur, Umaid Bhawan’s name means ‘Umaid’s Mansion,’ a reference to Umaid Singh, the Maharajah of Jaipur from 1918 until his death two months before independence.
Indian royalty was abolished under Indira Gandhi’s government in the 1970s and the palace became a hotel, since when it has reportedly played host to Mick Jagger and been the site of a Sting concert.
It joins several other Indian palaces in this respect, including the 18th century Lake Palace in Udaipur, now a fashionable spot for weddings and honeymoons.
Star attraction: After Indian royalty was abolished, the palace became a hotel, since when it has reportedly played host to Mick Jagger and been the site of a Sting concert