Bollywood actors Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal got married on Thursday (9 December), following months of media speculation about their relationship.

The couple tied the knot at an exotic, 14th century fort in the western state of Rajasthan in a closely-guarded ceremony attended by close friends and family.

The actors posted the first photographs from their big Bollywood winter wedding on Instagram on Thursday night, even as the Indian paparazzi relentlessly documented the scenes from outside the venue — the Six Senses Fort in Barwara near Jaipur.

The newlyweds captioned their respective posts: “Only love and gratitude in our hearts for everything that brought us to this moment. Seeking all your love and blessings as we begin this new journey together.”

Kaushal and Kaif — among Bollywood’s most popular actors — are rumoured to have been dating since 2019 but their wedding pictures are the first official confirmation of their relationship.

However, in the weeks leading up to the wedding that gripped Indian social media, the actors were photographed at each other’s residences in Mumbai, and several Bollywood actors were spotted at the airport leaving for Jaipur.

Rumours about the couple’s nuptials have been circulating online for the better part of the last month.

These rumours included details about the venue of their wedding, the bride’s outfit designed by prominent Indian fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee, the food menu and a strict no-phone policy for guests.

However, some bizarre rumours cited by media reports said drones flying around the wedding venue would be shot down, and guests would have secret codes and not be referred to by their names.

Kaushal made his Bollywood debut in 2015 with the critically acclaimed film Masaan and is currently enjoying the success of the period film Sardar Udham, about the life of Indian revolutionary Sardar Udham Singh, who assassinated Michael O’Dwyer in London to avenge the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar.

Meanwhile, model-turned-actor Kaif’s journey in the Hindi cinema industry dates back nearly 18 years.

Since making a lacklustre debut in the film Boom in 2003, Kaif has starred in several big-budget, commercial films, notably opposite Bollywood superstars Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan. She also launched her own line of cosmetics, Kay Beauty, in 2019.

Reacting to the news of their wedding, Indian content creator Kusha Kapila congratulated the couple, adding that popular Indian paparazzo Viral Bhayani can now breathe easy.

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone, who married industry colleague Ranveer Singh in November 2018, wished the couple “a lifetime of love, laughter, loyalty, respect and companionship”.

Other prominent actors such as Alia Bhatt, Hrithik Roshan, Sonam Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Farhan Akhtar also left heart emoji-laden comments on the actors’ pictures.

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