Bollywood actors Ritesh Deshmukh, 32 and Genelia D’Souza, 24, tied the nuptial knot today in the most traditional Marathi style in Mumbai and the bigwigs of the Bollywood and political heavyweights of Maharashtra graced the occasion.

The wedding ceremony was solemnized at the spacious function hall of the Grand Hyatt Hotel on the outskirts of Mumbai after three days of festivities that included sangeet, haldi, mehndi ceremonies and a traditional bachelorette party for Genelia.

The marriage therefore brings to an end the 8-year old secret courtship of Ritesh and Genelia who first acted together in Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003.

The young couple looked stunning with the groom wearing a white sherwani and red colored turban (feta) and Genelia wearing a red and gold lehenga for the most auspicious occasion of their lives.

During the baaraat that started from the grounds near Grand Hyatt, Ritesh, sitting on the horse and covering his face with a flower veil (sehra), waved excitedly to the onlookers. The groom’s father and Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has been dressed in a brown sherwani.

While Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Subodh Kant Sahay, Sunil Tatkare and Johny Joseph were among the political VVIPs who graced the occasion, B-town guests present included Shah Rukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Kajol and Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Sajid Khan, Karan Johar, Shahid Kapoor, Ashutosh Gowariker, Sajid Nadiadwala, Satish Shah, Asin, Jacky Bhagnani, Vashu Bhagnani, Ramesh Taurani, Nishka and Neeta Lulla.

Before the wedding, Ritesh tweeted saying, “Saw the Last sunset as a Bachelor,” and again tweeted after the wedding “MR & MRS DESHMUKH”. He also posted a photo of theirs on Twitter.

The reception will take place tomorrow at the same hotel. (JUBS)