Arjun Rampal: Not shaken by NCB’s summon, but disturbed by lack of support

Arjun Rampal has always been a genial bloke,  easy to get along with, much loved and respected by all his colleagues and filmland friends. But now when the net closes on his family in a drug probe, Arjun finds himself battling it alone.

A friend of the actor says,  “Nobody wants to get involved. One message or call, and you may be summoned  too. I am afraid Arjun will have to fight it alone.”

Not that Arjun has ever needed anyone to fight his battles. Always a loner and  a champion of  the truth we’ve been friends for  20 years. I first met him when he  was  shooting for Vipul Shah’s Aankhen. His growth as an actor and  an individual has been tremendous since then. We’ve been friends  since then. I’ve seen him go through his  personal and  professional  upheavals. Chin always up. The smile never leaving his eyes.

I remember meeting him and Katrina Kaif in Patna when they came to promote Prakash Jha’s  Rajneeti. Katrina for some strange reason was  aloof and standoffish with the kids  who  accompanied me. Arjun made it his responsibility to  lighten the tense  atmosphere.

This too shall pass. Arjun is more than  equipped to weather the storm, although the  NCB’s  investigations are  a huge embarrassment to Arjun. His life partner Gabriella Demetriades’ brother Agisialos has been questioned. And now an Australian Paul Bartel apparently known to Arjun, has been arrested.

Arjun is  tightlipped  and  sure he will come out of this unscathed.

All he will say on  record is, “I’ve nothing  to do with drugs.” And  I believe him. Whether  the camera  is switched on or off Arjun doesn’t lie .