A ‘lil background info if you haven’t jumped on this dating show yet. Netflix’s Indian Matchmaking series gives a glimpse into the world of arranged marriages in Indian culture. The show is hosted by a professional matchmaker, Sima Taparia, who she tries to find a compatible match for her clients.
Like all reality TV dating shows, some ended up back where they started, while some pairs were successfully engaged, but did they make it to the altar? Well, here’s what the cast of Indian Matchmaking has been up to after the two seasons.
Have a look below to find out which Indian Matchmaking couples are still together…
Viral Joshi
After *that* furniture store date, 31-year-old Viral Joshi finally meets Aashay Shah and he pretty much was everything she’d been looking for. “We are happy together and it’s been quite a ride. Having our story unfold in front of the cameras has brought such an outpouring of love and investment in our relationship and we’re happy things are working out for us,” she tells Cosmo.
“On top of the complexities of long distance, we are now juggling our relationship in a public light. It’s tough navigating it all but for me, I have no regrets because without the show and Sima Aunty, I would not have found him and for that, I’m forever thankful.”
Speaking on whether Indian Matchmaking has changed her opinion on marriage or relationships, Viral shared, “Working with Sima Aunty allowed for a lot of introspection. This led me to re-evaluate my checklist and tease out what is a dealbreaker vs a “nice-to-have”, (but not essential to the foundation of a relationship).
A great example of this is my relationship with Aashay: he isn’t coming to any book clubs with me, haha. But whether he enjoys reading or not is not critical to being a good-fit partner; however, us sharing the Gujarati language and festivals, and him understanding my future parental responsibilities as an only child, is essential to the partnership I was looking for.”
Also, a moment for this Indian Matchmaking cast reunion at NYC which Viral and Akshay shared in a joined IG post:
Nadia Jagessar
After Nadia and Vinay Chadha’s short-lived love story in the debut season, Nadia meets up with Shekhar and the two decide to remain just friends. In Season 2, she meets Vishal and the two start dating but unfortunately, he breaks up with Nadia after he felt there wasn’t a romantic connection between the pair.
Nadia tells Cosmo ME, “I’m currently not dating but I know that my person is out there somewhere. Life has been a roller coaster in the best way possible since Season 2 aired. I love all of the meaningful conversations I’ve been a part of and I hope we can continue to openly discuss “tough topics” in a respectful way. Jay and Dilip continue to be two of my closest castmates from Indian Matchmaking; we hang out in real life quite regularly. I have also maintained a friendship with both Vyasar and Rashi.”
Pradhyuman Maloo
Big things have happened for Pradhyuman since Indian Matchmaking Season 1 and his breakup with Rushali. In some major life updates, Pradhyuman got married to now-wife Ashima Chauhaan Maloo in Udaipur. “Indian Matchmaking made me radically push my boundaries to understand the partner I wanted, it has given me the courage to put myself out of my comfort zone and clarify what I want in a marriage,” he said in an interview.
Ashima shared more about how she knew he was the one, “He respected my beliefs, is hard-working, passionate, fun-loving, and within no time we became best friends. And, that’s when I knew he was the one as we started accepting and liking each other. What’s better than marrying your best friend?”
Mabrook to the happy couple!
Aparna Shewakramani
Aparna is still living her best single life. While she was optimistic about Jay in Season 1, she told Oprahmag that her relationship with him is strictly platonic. “To walk away with three people you can relate to — who are good, and kind, and grounded — is a success in my book.” She also wrote a novel titled She’s Unlikeable: And Other Lies That Bring Women Down that released in March 2022 and was inspired by the show.
Aparna soon returns in the second season of Indian Matchmaking and is this time, looking for love without Sima Taparia’s help. “While Indian Matchmaking didn’t conclude with me finding a partner, I believe the larger and more enriching story for myself was of a woman who stood her ground while also living her ultimate love story of building a life she loved for herself. My goal remains to find a man that is my teammate and ultimate companion, but it will always be on my terms. The show has shown me the importance of reclaiming my own narrative and living life outside of societal milestones and expectations,” she said.
Even though she hasn’t met the one, Aparna has remained good friends with fellow Indian Matchmaking cast members Ankita and Shital.
Shital Patel
Next up is Shital Patel from Indian Matchmaking Season 2, who had quite a list of things she’s looking for in a guy. Although she did go on two dates set up by Sima, Shital didn’t find a romantic relationship with either of them. We later find out that she met someone (aka Niraj Mehta, the oncologist) on her own and the two really hit it off.
“I am in a fulfilling, soul-connected relationship. I have met my best friend and the love of my life. Life has been a whirlwind since the show aired but we are continuing to build our bond and friendship and look forward to our future together,” said Shital.
Wondering who she’s closest to from the cast? Shital mentioned, “I am close to Aparna from Season 1. She has guided me through the matchmaking process, has been a friend and someone I could lean on throughout this experience. We are strong, independent women who have a shared experience and have a great deal of respect for each other going through such a personal journey in front of the cameras and putting our vulnerability out for the world to see.”
The couple also recently celebrated their first Diwali together:
Akshay Jakhete
While Akshay got furthest in the arranged marriage process out of all the cast members, he eventually called off the ceremony. He later hinted that his trust was broken. He told L.A. Times: “I’d rather wait and be with the correct person than be stuck with the wrong person. So I am single right now and still looking for the right one.”
As he wasn’t featured in Indian Matchmaking Season 2, we had to do a lil social media stalk and unfortunately, Akshay hasn’t posted on his socials since July 2021 so we aren’t sure about his relationship status.
Ankita Bansal
Even though she didn’t find a partner, she ended up realising that growing her business and focusing on her happiness is key. “I grew up loving myself in all my glory,” she wrote, on Instagram. “I take massive pride in knowing what I want, who I am, my constant changing thought process all thanks to the various experiences I learn through my interactions.”
She also became great friends with Producer Smriti Mundhra, says she “admires her so much. She smashes so many stereotypes of what we expect of what a nice, submissive, Indian girl to be.” As of 2022, Ankita is prioritising herself and sharing her health journey on IG.
Vyasar Ganesan
Netflix
The most eligible guidance counsellor (and most loved character on Indian Matchmaking) is currently in a relationship after he and Rashi ended up just being friends. “Matchmaking really is tough. Both people I was matched with were truly wonderful, inspiring individuals who I’m proud to call friends,” he told L.A. Times.
In an interview with NBC News Asian America in February 2021, he revealed how he met his now-girlfriend. “Long story short, her cousin saw the show, and they began talking about it and afterwards her cousin reached out on my now girlfriend’s behalf. She basically wrote, ‘Hey, I know sliding into people’s DMs isn’t really cool, but I’m doing it anyway.’
I immediately thought, ‘OK, well, it takes a lot of guts and courage to do that and I began talking to my now girlfriend. Then, you know, one thing led to another and it just sort of quickly spiralled from there. We now have a Zoom date every Sunday and Wednesday. It’s great.”