Teejay--I trust Manoj completely

Can there be smoke without fire?

Link-ups may be part and parcel of TV actors' lives but is there any truth to them? BT explores what lies beneath the rumours

GITA HARI

Of late, the television industry seems to have been ridden with liaisons, affairs and infidelity. Working in close proximity for 12 to 16 hours, 25 days a month provides enough attraction and opportunity to get closer with the co-star. It's alright if both the actors are single but what if either or both of them are already married? It can create discord or a split in their marital relationships. Is it worth staking your marriage and a faithful partner, for a few hours of closeness to your co-star, in the bargain?

The beautiful Shilpa Saklani and the reticent Apurva Agnihotri were in the news recently, with tales of Apurva having a relationship with Surveen Chawla, his co-star of Sony's Kaajjal, doing the rounds. Peeved at gossip mills working overtime, Shilpa lashes out, "It's a big joke, we (she and Apurva) have had a good laugh at the rumours. Our relationship is built
on trust.

It's only natural that when you work round the clock, you are stressed out. What's wrong if you mingle with your costars, have lunch with them. I do it too, but that doesn't mean anything." According to Shilpa people who have on-the-side affairs are psychotic to stake their marriage. But she feels bad for Surveen, who she says, "is single and her name being dragged into such things by irresponsible people can affect her image."

Rohit Roy has been portrayed as a flirt, so how does it affect his lovely actor wife Manasi Joshi Roy? Does she see him working with beautiful costars as a threat to her marriage? "That's the image built by the media about Rohit. In contrast, he is totally a family man, a responsible, loving and caring husband and father. These rumours don't affect me at all," says Manasi.

Married man with kids, Ravi Gosain, who is rumoured to be on a relationship with actor Priya Arya from the time they were working together on a film script, refutes and refuses to speak on the topic. According to him, "When you are constantly in each other's company, temptation arises and it can happen when you are new in this line. The serial Amanat was shot for six years, some actors fell in love with each other and even got married. But we, as mature actors have a professional approach."

The recently married Roshni Chopra says, "Attraction is bound to be there and I fell in love with my husband Siddharth when we were working together. But this can happen only to singles. Once married, you don't look at others from that angle. I get along well with Ram Kapoor and Naman Shaw. It's very necessary to like your co-stars because of the nature of your work but nothing beyond that." Since her husband too is associated with TV and films, would she be affected if rumours linked him with any actor? "No," affirms Roshni adding, "The foundation of our relationship is trust and I would never believe what is written in the papers."

Teejay Sidhu and Manoj Bohra, Prem of Kasautii Zindagii Kay, know when you spend so much time together, temptation is bound to take place. But Teejay believes that Manoj is an exception, for she says, "I am not the possessive, jealous type at all. In this line there is a lot of gossip. I wouldn't even believe them or react harshly as I trust Manoj completely."