Arjun Rampal: Mehr makes me feel insecure
The Bollywood shine hasn't affected Arjun Rampal at all, not even after he has won and collected several awards for his overnight successful cult film Rock On. Today this six feet handsome man stands taller than ever as his career reaches yet another level - a level which only a few have managed to achieve in their decade long career of acting. At the moment though, he is having a laugh with his fellow co-stars Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh and Boman Irani in London.
We dialled his UK mobile to find out that he is to start his forty day shoot for Housefull out there, is reading a book 'Reluctant Fundamentalist' on a surprisingly sunny afternoon and is ready to party real hard in Central London whenever he gets spare time. Arjun the person is so clever, and privileged, and talkative and engaging and glossy-eyed and vaguely expensive looking, not in a designer sense but in a lucky-enough-to-have-inherited-exquisite-bone-structure sort of way, that he's precisely the kind of character you'd expect to see popping up in Hindi films. UK's Harrow Observer columnist talks to Rampal on his two big films:
Housefull
and
Rajneeti,
his
co-actors:
Akshay
Kumar,
Manoj
Bajpai
and
Ajay
Devgan,
his
wife:
Mehr,
his
love
for
London,
his
love
for
food
and
fashion
and
the
infamous
Kasab
trial.
Alive
and
kicking
from
London
in
this
Bollywood
Hungama
exclusive.
United
Kingdom:
UK
is
extremely
special
for
me
not
because
Rock
On
got
the
only
five
star
rating
from
there
and
not
because
Om
Shanti
Om
grossed
more
than
a
million
pounds,
No.
London
will
always
be
special
for
me
also
because
I
shot
my
first
home
production
I
See
U.
I
also
remember
it
as
a
country
and
a
city
where
I
celebrated
my
first
wedding
anniversary.
Food
and
Fashion:
London
has
some
of
the
world's
best
eateries
and
fashion.
The
ambience
and
the
energy
are
pretty
exciting.
I
love
shopping
in
London
and
especially
go
to
this
store
called
Browns.
It's
got
some
great
outfits.
As
far
as
food
is
concerned,
I
have
cut
down
on
the
British
Jacket
Potatoes
at
the
moment
(laughs).
Clubs
v/s
Pubs:
I
don't
go
to
pubs
in
the
UK
but
you'll
definitely
find
me
in
some
of
the
clubs
out
there.
I
am
a
clubbing
kind
of
a
guy.
There
are
some
great
clubs
there.
I
used
to
go
to
Ministry
of
Sound
but
now
it's
too
slow
paced.
Cafe
De
Paris
and
a
lot
of
other
small
clubs
have
taken
over
the
city
of
London
big
time.
I
like
going
to
clubs
because
the
city
has
got
some
of
the
greatest
music
you'll
ever
hear
in
your
lifetime.
Hectic
schedules:
I'm
on
a
mad
outdoor
schedule
this
time.
But
that's
the
way
I
like
it.
Housefull
is
an
out
and
out
mad
comic
caper.
I'm
looking
forward
for
the
forty
day
shoot
in
London.
Then
I'm
back
in
Mumbai
for
the
launch
of
my
club
on
the
28th
of
August.
Then
back
to
the
remaining
shoot
of
Rajneeti.
Akshay
Kumar:
We
all
are
in
a
constant
process
of
growing
as
an
actor.
Akshay
Kumar
is
no
different.
He
has
been
extremely
successful
in
his
career
and
I
wish
him
even
more
success.
I
find
that
Akshay
is
far
more
comfortable
in
front
of
the
camera
than
he
was
when
I
last
saw
him
in
Aankhen.
He
has
proved
his
talent
and
has
definitely
come
a
long
way.
My
all
time
favourite
film
of
his
is
Hera
Pheri.
Rock
On
to
Rajneeti:
I
go
into
characters
like
I
play
in
Rajneeti
because
I
like
them
and
they
are
something
different
to
do.
Whatever
has
happened
post
Rock
On
has
been
wonderful
but
you
need
to
move
on
and
forget
it.
You've
got
to
unlearn
all
the
things
that
you've
learnt
with
every
film
and
go
and
do
something
new.
Rajneeti
has
me
in
an
intense
character
I've
never
played
before.
It's
strong
and
powerful.
There
is
some
crazy
stuff
I've
done
in
Rajneeti
and
let's
see
how
people
react
to
it.
The
idea
really
is
to
start
pushing
the
envelope
and
we
all
want
change.
Audiences
want
the
same
too.
I
don't
want
to
make
the
kind
of
mistakes
I've
made
in
the
past
but
am
glad
that
I
did
only
because
today
I'm
more
confident.
Dream
photo
shoot
with
Mehr:
It's
really
flattering
to
know
that
a
lot
of
people
want
to
see
me
with
my
wife
on
the
front
cover
of
a
magazine.
It's
been
ages
we've
shot
together.
But
I'm
always
insecure
to
shoot
with
my
wife.
Mehr
is
the
only
one
who
makes
me
feel
insecure
(laughs).
It'll
be
great
to
do
a
nice
cover
story
together.
Mehr
is
great
in
front
of
the
camera
and
it'll
be
an
odd
fun
to
have
a
shoot
like
that.
Mehr
Jessia
Rampal:
Mehr
is
a
very
casual
person
most
of
the
time.
She
is
one
girl
who
doesn't
take
long
to
get
ready
at
all.
She
will
wear
anything
and
will
look
good
in
it.
She
has
got
this
strange
classic
and
a
simple
vibe
about
her
that
makes
you
inspire
and
envy,
sometimes
(laughs).
She
doesn't
get
carried
away
that
easily.
She
is
the
ultimate
style
statement.
Ajay
Devgan
and
Manoj
Bajpai:
Ajay
Devgan
is
a
complete
natural
actor.
He
is
a
treat
for
any
director.
A
classic
actor.
Manoj
Bajpai
is
very
theatrical
in
nature
of
his
acting.
He
is
a
genuine
gift
for
any
producer
director.
They
both
are
Indian
Film
Industry's
best
we
will
ever
have.
Both
have
given
their
best
ever
shot
at
Rajneeti.
You
can
only
be
as
good
as
what
you
are
and
they
both
have
proved
that
every
time
they've
faced
the
camera.
Kasab
trial
and
Indian
politics:
The
beauty
and
the
burden
of
a
democracy
is
this:
No
idea
prevails
without
the
support
of
the
majority.
Moral
issues
are
decided
by
the
people
and
not
by
the
majority
of
one.
The
whole
of
India
knows
about
Kasab
and
his
terror
act
and
we
as
a
majority
also
know
what
lies
ahead
of
him.
When
such
foreign
bodies
come
and
spread
terror
and
create
havoc
in
our
country,
it
only
unites
the
country.
It
brings
all
of
us
together.
So
when
people
come
together,
it
is
even
fierce
than
terror.
Congress
today
coming
in
power
has
shown
the
different
side
of
India
post
26/11.
They
have
become
stronger
in
their
approach
towards
the
betterment
of
our
country,
whether
it's
the
economy,
industry,
infrastructure
or
terrorism.
I
think
India
has
got
a
very
good
government
in
place
right
now
and
you
can
see
and
feel
the
change.