A photograph meant to celebrate the relentless dedication of a startup founder has instead ignited a fiery debate on social media about the glorification of 'hustle culture'. The image, shared by Mehul Agarwal, shows his sister and co-founder, Gauri Agarwal, working on her laptop just ten minutes after her wedding ceremony.
The Viral Moment That Divided Opinions
On December 16, 2025, Mehul Agarwal, who is building the Y Combinator-backed GenAI platform Koyal, posted a picture on X (formerly Twitter). The photo captured his sister, Gauri, dressed in full traditional Indian bridal attire, smiling as she typed on her laptop. Her groom sat beside her, smiling and eating. "People romanticize startups but it is a lot of work. This is my sister & co-founder Gauri Agarwal at her own wedding, 10 minutes after ceremony, fixing a critical bug at KoyalAI," Mehul wrote in the post. He clarified it was not a staged photo and that their parents had scolded them both.
Later, Mehul added another detail about his sister's post-wedding schedule, noting that she was taking meetings for three hours a day during her honeymoon, much to her new husband's chagrin.
Backlash and Defense: The Online Firestorm
As the post gained massive traction, reactions were sharply divided. Many users criticized the narrative, seeing it as a problematic celebration of overwork.
One user commented, "I’m deeply committed to my career, but not at the cost of missing the moments that matter most to me." To this, Mehul Agarwal replied, "Of course, nor should you be. We got heavily scolded by our parents."
Another critique focused on business operations: "Not to be a critic here but you should focus on hiring a better team if the founder needs to step in to fix bugs." A third user reposted the image with a harsh assessment: "If she can’t plan her own wedding day, we can only imagine how she is managing people and company. It’s a skill issue at display in public."
However, several others defended the founders' commitment. One supporter wrote, "No wonder I love the tool. Founders are locked in. Congrats!" Another added a note of caution with their praise: "Love the hustle bro (and sis, haha), do remember that it’s a marathon, not a sprint!"
Who Are the Founders Behind KoyalAI?
The sibling founders, Mehul and Gauri Agarwal, are based in San Francisco. According to her LinkedIn profile, Gauri Agarwal holds a computer science degree from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Science from MIT. Mehul Agarwal also completed his undergraduate studies at Carnegie Mellon followed by a Master's degree from the same institute.
The brother-sister duo launched their company, Koyal, in 2025. In their venture, Gauri serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), while Mehul is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Their platform is an AI-driven audio-to-video filmmaking tool.
The viral incident underscores a persistent tension in the global startup ecosystem, particularly within ambitious founder circles: the fine line between celebrated dedication and unsustainable work practices. While some see such acts as the secret to success, others view them as red flags for a toxic culture that blurs all boundaries between personal life and professional demands.
