Lavish Indian weddings have always been a tribute to tradition and a symbol of status. Many marriages are still arranged by families, creating expectations regarding appearance and wealth. Now, a new pre-wedding trend has taken over the country: soon-to-be brides and grooms are widely using weight-loss injections to quickly get in shape before the celebration. Some clinics have started offering special service packages, such as ‘Mounjaro Bride’, which include these injections alongside diet, fitness, and hairstyling.
Eight doctors interviewed by Reuters said that brides and even some grooms are approaching them requesting weight-loss drugs before their weddings. Most often, they ask for ‘Mounjaro’ from the US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly, as well as ‘Wegovy’ from Danish Novo Nordisk. Both drugs belong to the GLP‑1 agonist class and entered the Indian market in 2025.
“Over the past few months, more than 20% of requests for weight-loss injections have come from brides, who also openly give us their wedding dates,” said one doctor from the Hindivine Healthcare clinic in New Delhi.
According to the agency, this market is expected to reach 80 billion rupees (approximately $851.79 million) by 2030. Sales of Mounjaro doubled within months of its launch, making it the best-selling drug in the world’s most populous country.
The cost of the drugs remains high, although local manufacturers are entering the market. The minimum dose of Mounjaro costs 13,125 rupees ($139.50) per month, while the maximum dose costs 25,781 rupees (about $275). In response to the emergence of generics, Novo Nordisk has cut prices of Wegovy for the second time; it now costs between 5,660 rupees ($60.90) and 16,400 rupees (about $175) per month.
India’s drug regulator has tightened oversight of unauthorised sale and promotion of weight-loss drugs. This follows the expiration of the patent on semaglutide in March 2026. Local manufacturers have started producing cheaper versions. More than 40 Indian companies, including Sun Pharma, Mankind Pharma, Dr. Reddy’s and Zydus, have announced such plans.
The mass introduction of generics has raised concerns among specialists. Doctors have warned that drugs intended for the treatment of obesity or diabetes should not be used for cosmetic purposes without medical indications. Risks include uncontrolled distribution of the drug, dosing errors, and undesirable side effects.
According to The Lancet, by 2050, India could have more than 440 million people with overweight or obesity, one of the highest rates in the world.