Mumbai: Chennaiites thronged to the much awaited launch of Kalyan Jewellers’ first showroom in Chennai. Kalyan Jewellers brand ambassadors and mega stars of Indian celluloid Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Prabhu Ganesan, Nagarjuna, Shivaraj Kumar, Manju Warrier and Vikram Prabhu regaled the crowd at the inauguration of Kalyan Jewellers’ 50th showroom in South India and 78th store  globally. Never before in the history of a brand have so many stars come together underlying the magnitude and the scale of the world’s largest jewellery showroom being launched in Chennai.

The stars themselves were overjoyed with the massive turnout and yet, a bit overwhelmed by its scale. Thundering applause and loud whistles greeted the celebrities as they walked towards the stage outside the showroom. The audiences were completely star-struck and the appearance of one of Indian cinema’s biggest icons Amitabh Bachchan and former Ms. World Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, created quite a frenzy, with the crowd jostling to get a glimpse of the Bachchans.

Amitabh Bachchan strode in majestically, waved at the cheering crowd. He was the cynosure of all eyes, notwithstanding the presence of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Chennai stars Prabhu and his son Vikram, Nagarjuna, Shivaraj Kumar and Manju Warrier.

Amitabh Bachchan shared his excitement of being in Chennai and spoke in Tamil saying, “I have worn the ‘vesti’ on my own and want to greet my Tamil ‘Vaadiyar’ Prabhu,” He fondly remarked, “I have been associated with the Tamil film industry for the last forty years including superstars like Sivaji Ganesan. I am happy to be a part of the Kalyan Jewellers launch in Chennai,”

“I have always had a special bond with Chennai. This inauguration of Kalyan Jewellers is special as it is my first such event with my ‘Paa'(Amitabh Bachchan). The inaugural store of Kalyan Jewellers in Chennai is very impressive and I encourage all Chennaites to shop for their jewellery from the 5 lakh designs available here,” said Ms. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Malayalam cine star Manju Warrier said that it was a historic moment for Chennai, Kalyan Jewellers and her personally. She added that she was happy sharing the stage with legends of Indian film industry.

Shivaraj Kumar reminisced about his early days especially his education in Chennai. He added that he was delighted to be back in Chennai.

A beaming Prabhu Ganesan said “I am very happy that Kalyan Jewellers has launched it’s inaugural showroom in Chennai in my very own T Nagar. I have cherished my relationship with Kalyan Jewellers and the promoter family of Kalyanaraman. It is a privilege to share the stage with my father’s ‘Thambi’ Amitabh Bachchan, My ‘Marumagal’ Aishwarya and the other stars of Indian film industry.”

Nagarjuna said that he was delighted to come to Chennai as he was born and educated in Chennai. He was happy to be part of the Kalyan Jewellers team.

The stars greeted the crowd and thanked them for the support. After this appearance, the stars were ushered for a private tour of the new showroom.

Kalyan Jewellers has invested close to Rs. 200 crore in their flagship store at T Nagar, South Indian jewellery hub.  This is also the largest investment by any jeweller in a single showroom across the country.  The flagship showroom is spread across 40,000 sq. feet and will display 600 kg of jewellery. The store offers a wide variety of more than 5,00,000 contemporary and traditional designs. Customers can access a private lounge through prior appointment for an exclusive experience. A designated children’s play area inside the showroom creates an inclusive and comfortable shopping environment for families.

Kalyan Jewellers prelaunch multimedia campaign had managed to create a positive hype for the event and had also brought the crowd to the streets. While Kalyan Jewellers, has a strong presence in Tamil Nadu with 16 showrooms, the Chennai store is the biggest they have in the country. The showroom has the world’s largest collection of gold and diamond jewellery. Kalyan Jewellers will open four more showrooms, with 15,000 sq. feet each, in Chrompet, Adyar, Vellacherry and Anna Nagar, of which two will be during the course of this financial year and two in the early part of next year. A total of Rs. 300 crore will be invested in these four showrooms.