Tejas Thackeray dances at Ambani sangeet, gets political rivals talking

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray's son Tejas was recently seen shaking a leg at the Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant sangeet in Mumbai. However, going by the response in some Maharashtra political circles, not everyone seems to be in step with the 29-year-old.

Videos of the young man grooving to Yeh Ladki Hai Allah from the movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, along with Sara Ali Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday and other celebrities at the much discussed pre-wedding function last week, excited several comments, particularly from political rivals.

Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar said Tejas had never been seen dancing during “dahi handi” celebrations to the tune of "Govinda Re Gopala" nor tapping his feet during the Ganeshotsav festival.

“But now this handsome young face of Maharashtra was standing in the last row and dancing at the Ambani wedding,” he said in a post in Marathi on X on Tuesday.

Reacting to the widely circulated video, his party colleague Nitesh Rane, son of former Union minister Narayan Rane, said, “One the one hand, you attack Gujaratis but on the other hand, this fellow is dancing at the Ambani wedding.”

Leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena Sheetal Mhatre also reacted with a barbed comment.

“Hey, this background dancer at the Ambani wedding looks familiar...His father is a master of taunts. The son is a dance star.”

Despite being a member of a high profile political family always in the news, Tejas has been largely successful in staying out of the limelight and following his passion to become a conservationist and wildlife researcher.

Tejas is the younger of Uddhav Thackeray’s two sons. The elder Aaditya is a former state minister and his political heir.

The festivities around the wedding of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son to Radhika, daughter of industrialist Viren Merchant, have been the subject of much discussion and attention, beginning from the glittering Jamnagar jamboree in March, going on to a cruise party last month and now the sangeet. The couple gets married on July 12.

Among those who have performed at the events are Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Backstreet Boys and Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli.