It was no surprise when rumours surrounding #Vickat’s wedding telecast spread, stating the wedding telecast rights were sold to Amazon Prime for Rs. 80Cr. Just a couple of years back, Priyanka Chopra & Nick Jonas sold their wedding pictures rights to leading International magazines for a staggering $2.5mn. Anushka Sharma & Virat Kohli too sold their wedding pictures rights to an undisclosed American magazine for a couple of million dollars. 

The commercialization of weddings in India is not a new phenomenon; rather, it has been prevalent for quite some time now. What was earlier an expensive affair with extravagant ceremonies with thousands of people on the guest list, is now also a possible source of income for famous personalities. But while celebrities have plenty of money already, you would wonder why they need to commercialize this highly sacred institution of marriage, as is considered in our country. Well, while some donate it to charity the way  Anushka- Virat did, some just want their fans to be a part of their life journey every step of the way. 

But how do the buyers of these pictures/videos benefit from the rights? Which opportunities motivate them to pay so much? Let's find out. 

Celebrities, weddings and opulence- 3 things Indians absolutely love. “The big fat Indian Wedding” was coined for the very reason to describe the love Indians have for this special event in their lives and when they get a chance to see that with a touch of Bollywood, it's like a cherry on the cake.

The recent #Vickat wedding got fans hooked onto social media for just a glimpse of the event proving that the buzz around celebrity weddings is only increasing by the day. Therefore it would obviously sound like a good investment option. Such weddings are kept hush-hush, without revealing the details and almost no footage, as a part of the deal with the exclusive rights partner. 

Magazines, publication partners, streaming platforms and other exclusive rights partners get the opportunity to invite interest and large traction towards their brand when they buy these rights. Social media has made it possible for fans to view every b-town gossip and almost be a part of their loved celeb’s lives. So when such big life events take place, the fanbase wishes harder to be able to experience the joy of being a part of the celebration. Brands with exclusive rights capitalize on this feeling and try to popularize their brand. It is a meaty marketing opportunity for brands when such celebrated names tie the knot. More than anything, it is the emotional connection between the celebs and the audience which thrives on these larger-than-life events with alluring details as the audience fantasizes such grandeur and magnificence. 

Commercialization and bollywoodization of almost every aspect of our lives are gradually taking place. New ways to create the buzz amongst the crowd come up every year. The secrecy and privacy around celeb weddings and their commercialization is here to stay or is just a fad, time will tell. But for now, let the content providers give the audience the content they enjoy the most.