Tamil actor and television personality Madhampatty Rangaraj has tied the knot with celebrity stylist Joy Crizildaa in what appears to be his second marriage, creating a wave of controversy across social media platforms.
The wedding came to light when Joy shared intimate photos from their traditional ceremony on Instagram, showing Rangaraj applying kumkum to her forehead while both were dressed in elegant traditional attire. "Mr & Mrs Rangaraj," she captioned the post, officially announcing their union.
Adding another layer to the story, Joy revealed she is six months pregnant with their first child together. In a follow-up post displaying her baby bump, she wrote, "Baby loading 2025. We are pregnant. 6th month of pregnancy."
The announcement has sparked intense debate due to Rangaraj's existing marital situation. His first wife, Shruthi Rangaraj, a lawyer by profession, continues to identify herself as "Madhampatty Rangaraj's wife" on her Instagram bio and has not removed any family photos featuring their two children together.
Remarkably, both Shruthi and Rangaraj still follow each other on social media, and earlier this year, Shruthi had publicly dismissed divorce rumours by posting family pictures with Rangaraj and their children.
Joy, who works as a costume designer and entrepreneur, has now updated her Instagram bio to include "Wife of Madhampatty Rangaraj," mirroring Shruthi's profile description.
The unusual situation has left fans confused and divided. Social media users have expressed their bewilderment, with one Twitter user commenting, "That guy still didn't get divorced from his first wife with two kids... his first wife still considers him as her husband. Their story is worse than Jayam Ravi's."
Others have criticised the actor for the apparent lack of clarity regarding his marital status, while some have offered congratulations to the new couple.
Rangaraj rose to prominence through his role in the Tamil film "Mehandi Circus" and gained widespread recognition as a judge on the popular cooking show "Cooku With Comali." He joined the show's fifth season as a replacement for chef Venkatesh Bhat and continues to serve as a judge in the current sixth season.
His relationship with Joy reportedly began professionally, as she worked as his costume designer before their romantic involvement became public earlier this year.
Despite the mounting speculation and public attention, Rangaraj has remained conspicuously silent about his new marriage or the status of his first marriage. In a previous interview with Cinema Vikatan, he had been vague about divorce rumours, stating, "I am aware of what's going around. If needed, I'll talk about it openly. But for now, there are no issues in my family."
As the controversy continues to unfold, fans and media outlets await an official statement from the actor to clarify the complex situation surrounding his personal life.
