Chennai: The reported wedding celebrations of music composer Anirudh Ravichander and Sunrisers Hyderabad owner Kavya Maran have attracted considerable attention, with the design of their reception invitation offering a glimpse into the thought behind the occasion.
In an interview with mid-day, invitation designer Ranjini Iyengar opened up about the creative process behind the customised invite, revealing how the couple’s preferences shaped its colours, packaging and overall presentation. She also spoke about the close collaboration involved in developing the design and the production challenges she faced before arriving at the final result.
According to Iyengar, the idea was to create an invitation that felt distinctive and personal without being excessively elaborate. The team settled on a wooden box with three-dimensional elements, while a blue-and-white colour palette became a defining feature of the design.
Wooden box designed to stand out
Iyengar said the couple wanted an invitation that would feel special to its recipients but would not look unnecessarily extravagant. The design team therefore focused on creating customised packaging that guests might want to preserve rather than discard after the event.
The invitation was designed as a wooden box incorporating three-dimensional elements. The intention was to make the presentation visually distinctive while keeping the overall aesthetic understated.
Explaining the thinking behind the packaging, Iyengar said the couple was conscious that their guests would receive numerous invitations and gift boxes.
“We wanted to do a box with 3D elements, but also something people will keep because Anirudh and Kavya were sure their guests got a lot of boxes day in and day out,” she said.
The designer added that the team wanted the final product to remain elegant rather than relying on excessive decoration or a large number of colours.
“At the same time we wanted it to be understated and not go overboard with colours,” she explained.
The approach reflects an emphasis on personalisation and presentation, with the packaging intended to be memorable without becoming overly ornate.
Why the invitation features blue and white
The blue-and-white colour combination was another important element of the invitation. Iyengar said the couple liked the palette during the design discussions, and it eventually aligned with the reported setting of their destination wedding in Greece.
The connection with Greece was not the original reason for choosing the colours. According to the designer, the combination had significance for the couple even before the location became part of the discussion.
Recalling how the palette was finalised, Iyengar said: “We were toying between certain colours, but they liked white and blue. It also correlated with Greece later. Initially we didn’t want to because it had nothing to do with the location. But it does have significance to them, so in the end it made sense.”
Her account suggests that the design was shaped primarily by the couple’s personal preferences, with the reported destination providing an additional connection to the final colour scheme.
The choice also helped the team maintain the understated look it was aiming for. Rather than using multiple bright colours, the design relied on a limited palette and distinctive packaging details.
Anirudh and Kavya remained closely involved
Iyengar described the collaboration with Anirudh and Kavya as a positive experience, highlighting their involvement throughout the customisation process.
According to the designer, the couple had a clear understanding of their preferences and communicated their likes and dislikes during discussions. The process involved frequent exchanges of ideas, with the team sharing options and making adjustments based on their feedback.
She said the couple placed considerable trust in her while also remaining actively involved in the creative decisions.
“This experience was extremely wholesome because they came with a lot of trust. It’s a huge process when you’re working with customisation,” Iyengar said.
She added that the discussions took place several times a day as the team worked through different possibilities.
“We would speak almost 3-4 times a day, going back and forth sending options. They were very involved and also very clear about their likes and dislikes,” she said.
Iyengar also observed that Anirudh and Kavya appeared to be aligned in their preferences. Their understanding of creative work, she suggested, helped them appreciate the flexibility required during the design process.
“They’re both in tandem with each other,” she said, adding that their willingness to give the people working with them creative flexibility made a significant difference.
The designer’s comments indicate that the invitation was developed through an iterative process rather than being based on a single design presented for approval.
Designer recalls production challenges
Although the collaboration was positive, Iyengar acknowledged that bringing the design to life was not straightforward.
She revealed that the initial draft fell short of her expectations and that the production stage presented several difficulties. Customised packaging can involve practical challenges when the intended design has to be translated into a finished product, and Iyengar said the process tested her patience.
Recalling her reaction to the first version, she said: “My first draft was so ugly I almost had tears.”
She added that production problems caused considerable stress during the process.
“There were times in this process when I faced production challenges, and I would just cry for days,” Iyengar said.
However, she explained that she chose not to burden the couple with those difficulties, believing that resolving production issues was her responsibility.
“But I wouldn’t take it to them because it was not their problem. However, I am happy with the outcome,” she said.
Her account offers a behind-the-scenes perspective on the work involved in creating a highly customised invitation. While the finished design may appear seamless to recipients, the production process can require repeated adjustments before the final product meets the designer’s expectations.
Anirudh Ravichander and Kavya Maran’s reported wedding plans
According to media reports, Anirudh and Kavya are expected to hold a destination wedding in Greece on November 10 and 11, with celebrations reportedly planned for close friends and family members.
A reception is scheduled to take place in Chennai on November 21, according to the reports. The event is expected to attract attention because of the couple’s connections to the entertainment, political and cricketing worlds.
However, the families have not officially confirmed the reported wedding schedule or released a complete guest list.
Reports have also suggested that the Maran family has extended invitations to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. These details remain unconfirmed and should not be treated as an official account of the guest arrangements.
The reported reception in Chennai is expected to be a significant gathering, given Anirudh’s standing in the South Indian film industry and Kavya’s association with the Sun Group and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Anirudh’s career in the music industry
Anirudh Ravichander rose to widespread recognition with Why This Kolaveri Di, the song featuring Dhanush that became a major online sensation.
He subsequently established himself as a prominent composer in the South Indian film industry, working on projects featuring leading actors across Tamil, Telugu and Hindi cinema.
His credits include films associated with actors such as Rajinikanth, Vijay, Pawan Kalyan and Shah Rukh Khan. His work has helped him build a wide audience beyond Tamil cinema.
Anirudh’s continued involvement in major film projects has also made his personal milestones a subject of public interest. The reported wedding with Kavya Maran has consequently drawn attention from entertainment audiences as well as followers of cricket and business news.
Who is Kavya Maran?
Kavya Maran is associated with the Sun Group and is widely known for her role with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.
She is a director at Sun TV Network and completed her MBA at Warwick Business School in the United Kingdom. She joined Sun TV Network as an executive director in 2019, according to the biographical information provided in reports.
Her association with Sunrisers Hyderabad has made her a familiar face among IPL viewers. The franchise was acquired by her father, Kalanithi Maran, in 2017.
The reported wedding has therefore attracted attention across several audiences, bringing together the worlds of music, film, cricket and business.
A personal design behind the reported celebrations
Iyengar’s account provides a glimpse into the creative decisions behind Anirudh and Kavya’s reported reception invitation. The wooden box, three-dimensional details and blue-and-white palette were developed to reflect the couple’s preferences while keeping the presentation restrained.
Her comments also highlight the role of collaboration in custom design. The couple remained involved in discussions, while the designer worked through production challenges to achieve the final result.
The wedding dates, destination and Chennai reception arrangements, meanwhile, remain based on media reports and await official confirmation from the families.
For now, the invitation’s design has offered one of the few reported behind-the-scenes details about the celebrations, with Iyengar’s account revealing how personal preferences and practical considerations shaped the final presentation.