There are crazy rich Asians, and then there is the richest of them all, Reliance Industries boss Mukesh Ambani, Asia’s richest man. If the recent wedding festivities of his youngest son, Anant Ambani, that grabbed the global spotlight wasn’t proof enough of his immense wealth, $102 billion, to be exact, then perhaps something as simple as the electricity bill of his Godzilla-sized Mumbai residence should do the trick.
Firstly, the centibillionaire resides in one of Mumbai’s toniest neighborhoods in a 27-story tall family home called Antilia, which is valued at $4.7 billion. When you live in the most expensive private home in the world (only Buckingham Palace is worth more), you pay bills that match your status. In the one month since he moved in with his wife, Nita, and their three children to Antilia, the house has generated a power bill of INR 70,69,488. According to media reports, it was, unsurprisingly, Mumbai’s highest residential electricity bill, consuming a whopping 6,37,240 units (1 unit = 1 one kilowatt-hour) of electricity (a California resident would pay around $190,000 for that many units of electricity). To put it into perspective, this many units could charge 170 Tesla Model 3 cars a total of 75 times, giving each of them enough range to circle the Earth once.
But Antilia is no ordinary home. It is a resort-style dwelling that doesn’t leave its billionaire owners wanting for anything. The 400,000 sq ft of floor space has been divided into 27 floors, making the building’s overall height nearly 600 feet. A conventional building this tall would have at least 60 floors.
Antilia, named after a mythical island in the Atlantic Ocean, owes its humongous electricity bill to some very real amenities that put the luxe in luxury. From a parking area for 168 cars to a swimming pool, a spa, a healthcare center, a temple, and nine elevators, the home boasts it all.
The list doesn’t end there; the structure, built to withstand an earthquake of 8.0 magnitude on the Richter scale, also features a ballroom dotted with chandeliers, a fully equipped spa, a theater that seats 80, guest suites, and numerous terraced gardens. The most unique feature of this multi-billion-dollar whimsical residence is an extraordinary snow room, a calming oasis where you can escape the sweltering Mumbai heat. At the touch of a button, man-made snowflakes transform the space into a winter wonderland. And if even that isn’t enough, then there is an ice cream parlor in there, too. The humongous electricity bill has started to make a lot more sense now, doesn’t it?
This gorgeous goliath of a house has served as the venue for a string of lavish events and parties. The Ambanis hosted a grand six-day wedding celebration for their youngest son, Anant Ambani, and Radhika Merchant at Antilia this year. Even Mukesh Ambani’s daughter, Isha Ambani, tied the knot with Anand Piramal at her not-so-humble abode.
Interestingly, while each member of the affluent Ambani family could have a floor to themselves, the family of eight confined their life to a single floor for natural light. Is it not a bit ironic? Nita Ambani, the family matriarch, shared, “We made our home right at the top because we wanted the sunlight. So, it’s an elevated house on top of a garden.” At that height, there must be ample air and light. I wonder how they manage to conjure up the hefty electricity bills?
Note – A Tesla Model 3 Long Range has an approximate range of 333 miles per full charge, requiring 50 kWh of electricity. The Earth’s circumference at the equator is approximately 24,901 miles.
