In a surprise announcement on Saturday, stand-up comic Biswa Kalyan Rath and actor Sulagna Panigrahi took to Instagram to share the news of their marriage. Photos from the wedding, shared on both their social media profiles, are gathering the heartiest of greetings, including from the couple's entertainment industry colleagues. According to reports, Rath and Panigrahi got hitched in December in a traditional ceremony.
While much is known about Rath, who is popular for his YouTube series Pretentious Movie Reviews and comedy stage shows, here are eight things to know about Sulagna Panigrahi:
1. Sulagna Panigrahi is a popular face on Indian television, best known for playing significant roles in shows Amber Dhara, Do Saheliyaan, and Bidaai. In her breakout role in Amber Dhara, the 31-year old played the titular role of Dhara that gained her much recognition.
2. She made her big-screen debut with Mohit Suri’s 2011 film Murder 2, alongside Bollywood stars Emraan Hashmi and Jacqueline Fernandez. She played the role of Reshma, a student-turned-prostitute who falls prey to a serial killer. For her debut role, Panigrahi earned wide praise.
3. She went on to do further roles in Hindi films Rave and Raid, and a Marathi film titled Ishq Wala Love. In the latter, it is reported that Panigrahi, who styled her own looks, was appreciated by critics.
4. Panigrahi even ventured into other regional language film industries, with the 2015 Tamil film Isai.
5. Her most recent project is the Amazon Prime Video web series Afsos, for which the actor has shared several teasers on social media. The 8-episode black comedy show premiered this year in February.
6. Panigrahi is quite active on Instagram, sharing snaps from her global travels, daily life, and with friends. Posting pictures of her marriage to Rath, the actor on Saturday wrote, "Pic 1- Watching our single life burn away. Pic 2- it's gonna be a fun ride. We married now @biswakalyanrath Wooooohhhhhoooooooo!"
7. Panigrahi's sister Smrutika Panigrahi is a filmmaker, known for directing the short film Swaaha, which also credited critically acclaimed producer Guneet Monga as one of the names behind production. Smrutika Panigrahi too shared pictures from her sister's wedding, in which the new couple could be seen in traditional attire. She captioned the post, "Mr and Mrs Mast."
8. Several from the entertainment industry have congratulated Panigrahi and Rath, including comics Neeti Palta, Rohan Joshi, author Durjoy Datta, and actor Veebha Anand. Stand-up artists Kaneez Surka and Sumukhi Suresh have also extended greetings to the couple. Fans await a reaction from Rath's long-time associate Kanan Gill, who appeared alongside him in Pretentious Movie Reviews.