South Indian star Nayanthara married director Vignesh Shivan in a traditional South Indian ceremony in Mahabalipuram, a historical city in Tamil Nadu. All photos: Instagram / wikkiofficial, unless otherwise specified
The couple, who met while making the 2015 film 'Naanum Rowdy Dhaan', have been in a relationship for seven years
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Tamil superstar Rajinikanth joined a host of other celebrities at the wedding, including Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi, Suriya, Ajith, Karthi, Vijay Sethupathi and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
The bride and groom's outfits were custom-made by Jade, the label by designers Monica Shah and Karishma Swali, known for their use of Indian arts and crafts.
Shivan wore a veshti, a sarong-like robe wrapped around his waist, paired with a kurta and shawl, handcrafted by Jade.
Following a pre-wedding mehndi celebration on June 8, Nayanthara and Shivan married in an early morning ritual on June 9 that reportedly began at 8.10am at Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Centre.
Popularly referred to as the 'lady superstar', Nayanthara is one of the biggest actors in South India, known for her work in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films.
Shah Rukh Khan congratulates Nayanthara.
Shah Rukh Khan shares a light moment with the bride and groom.
South Indian superstar Rajinikanth greets Nayanthara. Acclaimed director Mani Ratnam can also be seen in the background.
South Indian actors and couple, Suriya and Jyothika, with the newly-weds.
Music composer Anirudh hugs the bride Nayanthara.
The couple with actor Vijay Sethupathi and his wife Jessie.
Oscar-winning composer A R Rahman with the bride and groom.
Groom Vignesh Shivan with his mother Meena Kumari.
The pair only made their relationship Instagram-official in 2021 after Shivan proposed. That year, they also launched their production company Rowdy Pictures.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, right, with film director Atlee, centre, and Khan's manager Pooja Dadlani Gurnani, at the wedding. Photo: Instagram / atlee47
South Indian actress Shamlee and Shah Rukh Khan at the wedding. Photo: Instagram / shamlee_official
Filmmaker Boney Kapoor arrives for the wedding in Mahabalipuram. Photo: Pallav Paliwal
Rajinikanth at the wedding venue. Photo: Pallav Paliwal
Television personality and actress Dhivyadharshini. Photo: Pallav Paliwal
Some of the biggest stars in India have landed in the historical city of Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu to celebrate the wedding of South Indian superstar Nayanthara and film director Vignesh Shivan. The couple, who have been in a relationship for seven years, tied the knot early on Thursday morning in a traditional ceremony. A star-studded reception is soon to follow.
Shivan shared photos of the wedding on Thursday.
"On a scale of 10… She’s Nayan and I'm the one by God’s grace. Just married Nayanthara," he posted.
The bride and groom's outfits were custom-made by Jade, the label by designers Monica Shah and Karishma Swali, known for their use of Indian arts and crafts.
"Nayanthara wears a handcrafted saree in Jade’s signature Vermillion Red, custom-designed by Monica Shah. The intricately realised tone on tone embroidery is inspired by the carvings of the temples of Hoysala," the designers posted on Instagram. "In a thoughtful tribute to the actor’s love for tradition, Monica and Karishma reimagined Goddess Lakshmi motifs as bajubandh on the sleeves of the blouse. In addition, the Fourth Vow running across the ensemble has been personalised with the couple’s names, symbolising togetherness, commitment and mutual respect."
The bride Nayanthara in a sari from Jade, the label by Monica Shah and Karishma Swali. Photo: Instagram / wikkiofficial
The groom's ensemble, meanwhile, resonates with four of the seven pheras — thesacred walks that the bride and groom take around the holy fire — signifying dharma, arth, kama and moksha, the designers said.
Each pherasignifies a vow that the bride and groom make to each other, and only once they've completed the seven rounds, are they considered husband and wife.
Shivan wore a veshti, the sarong-like robe wrapped around his waist, paired with a kurta and shawl, handcrafted by Jade.
Images from Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan's wedding. Photo: Instagram / wikkiofficial
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who will soon appear in a film with Nayanthara, was seen at the ceremony and so was Rajinikanth, one of the biggest and most revered Indian actors. Other major stars on the guest list included actors Kamal Haasan, Chiranjeevi, Suriya, Ajith, Karthi, Vijay Sethupathi and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.
Following a pre-wedding mehndi celebration on Wednesday, Nayanthara and Shivan married in an early morning ritual that reportedly began at 8.10am at Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Resort & Convention Centre, in the city famous for its Unesco World Heritage Sites.
Khan's manager Pooja Dadlani Gurnani shared a photo of the star arriving for the ceremony, dressed in a beige Nehru jacket paired with a white shirt.
"For Nayanthara’s Special Day," she wrote.
Entry to the resort is limited to only guests with an entry code, and a big reception is planned for Friday. The dress code for the reception is ethnic pastels, according to the wedding invitations seen by Indian media.
The wedding was initially meant to be held in Tirupati, known for its ancient Hindu temples, but was moved to Mahabalipuram owing to "logistical issues".
"We wanted to call our friends and family members, and we can’t take everyone there. So, we have to decide to get married, here, in Mahabalipuram," Shivan told Chennai Times.
Who are Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan?
Popularly referred to as the "lady superstar" of Indian cinema, Nayanthara is one of the biggest actors in South India, known for her work in Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. She's also the only actress from South India to make it to No 69 on Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list in 2018, with an estimated earning of 150 million rupees.
Born Diana Kurian in Kerala, Nayanthara made her acting debut in 2003 with the Malayalam film Manassinakkare and has since starred in more than 75 films. She will make her Bollywood debut with Khan in Jawan, an action film set to be released in 2023.
Nayanthara and Shivan first met when she starred in his 2015 film Naanum Rowdy Dhaan, an action-comedy which also featured Sethupathi. The pair began dating soon after but only made their relationship Instagram-official in 2021 after Shivan proposed to Nayanthara. That year, they also launched their production company Rowdy Pictures.
'It's Nayan's day'
Hours before the wedding ceremony on Thursday, Shivan posted a tribute to his future wife on Instagram, calling her "My thangamey", which translates to "my gold" in Tamil.
"Today is June 9 and it’s Nayan’s. Thanking God, the universe, the goodwill from all the lovely human beings who have crossed my life. Every good soul, every good moment, every good coincidence, every good blessing, every day at shooting and every prayer that has made life this beautiful," he shared. "I owe it all to the good manifestations and prayers.
"Now, it’s all dedicated to the love of my life! Nayanthara, my thangamey, excited to see you walking up the aisle in a few hours. Praying to God for all the goodness and looking forward to starting a new chapter officially in front of our beloved family and the best of friends."
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11 What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time. TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
