Bollywood's wedding of the year took place in Mumbai on Friday, with mobs and melodrama greeting the marriage of superstar Indian actors Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan.

Dressed in traditional garb and seated atop a white horse, Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan waves to fans in Mumbai who had gathered to watch his wedding procession. Dressed in traditional garb and seated atop a white horse, Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan waves to fans in Mumbai who had gathered to watch his wedding procession.
(Gautam Singh/Associated Press)

The former Miss World and the son of Bollywood icons Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan have tried to keep their nuptials private, but a smattering of details have emerged over the past few weeks, as fans clamoured for information about the couple's traditional Hindu wedding.

Hundreds of police and security officers kept crowds back from the Bachchan family compound on Friday, with media — many of whom had camped outside the residence for the past three days — largely confined to a cordoned-off area across the street.

A large wooden structure erected earlier in the week prevented photographers from snapping shots of the ceremony.

Fans had camped out in front of the Bachchan residence overnight in hopes of catching a glimpse of the couple or their star-studded guest list.

As per tradition, Bachchan — astride a white horse and dressed in gold and white — led a musical procession of dazzlingly dressed guests into the private ceremony, which was reportedly to include between 100 and 150 close family and friends.

Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan were in Toronto earlier this year for the gala premiere of Guru, their latest film. Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan were in Toronto earlier this year for the gala premiere of Guru, their latest film.
(Aaron Harris/Canadian Press)

The authorities dealt with one major incident Friday, as a woman claiming to be Bachchan's former lover slashed one of her wrists in front of the home.

Police eventually arrested the woman, who was unharmed and later found to be a struggling model and actress. They said she had no proof of the purported relationship and accused her of staging a publicity stunt.

While the actual wedding ceremony took place Friday, the festivities had begun on Wednesday with a musical sangeet ceremony followed by a mehndi ceremony on Thursday.

The couple will reportedly forgo an immediate honeymoon so Bachchan can remain close to his grandmother, who is ill and has been hospitalized for several months.