Biography

Unmistakably called the God of the ramp, Arjun Rampal came on the modelling scene some 5 years ago. Ever since he was proclaimed Society's face of the year, 1994, Arjun Rampal has carved a niche for himself amongst India's top male models. Married to Supermodel Mehr Jessia "Prince of the ramp"” Arjun Rampal, who has been waiting for long to make his debut on the silver screen, has broken the jinx at last. Unlike most of the star-kids Arjun hasn’t got stardom on a platter. He had to slog for long to get a firm foothold in tinsel town. Today he is better known as the longest-standing newcomer in Bollywood. His first film as an actor Ashok Mehta-directed “Moksha” (with Manisha Koirala) hasn’t had a big commercial success. And his second film Shantanu Sheorey’s “Jadh” (with Jackie Shroff and Smriti Mishra) has been shelved half way through. It is with his third film Rajiv Rai’s “Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabbat” that Arjun has at long last made his debut on the big screen. The film, released on August 3 2001, casts Arjun in a romantic role. He plays Gaurav, a handsome model with a philandering streak. Rajiv Rai, who has dubbed “Pyar Ishq..” as Arjun’s trump card, seems pretty impressive with Arjun’s histrionics. So much that he has signed Arjun for his next film too. Besides, Arjun is currently one of the busiest guys in Bollywood with many plum projects in his kitty. Among them are “All The Best” with Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, a film opposite Aishwarya, and a film with Abbas-Mastan.

Describe yourself in three words.
Cool, casual, comfortable.
What're you most comfortable in, then?
Track pants and T-shirts, mostly. I love wearing kurtas, especially Rajasthani ones, jeans, usually casuals.
That means?
Adidas, Clavin Klein, Armani (Exchange and Emporio), and on the Indian front, Tarun Tahiliani's kurta pyjamas, Rohit Bal's Westerns, suits and casuals and sneakers. Always sneakers.
What's the most important part of your wardrobe?
My underwear.
If you weren't a model?
I'd probably be working in a bank or something – that's where the money is.
Who would you want to be a muse for?
Rohit Bal says I was his muse – he found me. Isn't that enough?
You wanted to sell paan on a street corner?
Yeah – mostly to give my father free cigarettes.
You're going to be selling a film next month?
Well, acting in it – Shantanu Sheorey's Jadh. But that's all I can say.
Who from history would you most want to do lunch with?
Jim Morrison – and not lunch, an all night party for that whole sex, drugs, rock and roll thing. But one night only.
So what does sex mean to you?
Fun, necessity.
And does size matter?
Only when I was working with Elite (the modelling agency). Abroad, they're far more professional than they are here – so you have a modelling card with all your measurements and abilities (like whether you can ride or swim or whatever). When I went to London, the whole skinny look was in, so I had to lose a lot of weight, but by the time I went to New York, I'd filled out, so I got myself a new card.
The card is everything, eh?
Absolutely. Seriously, I think we all have one life and should live it to the best of our abilities.
What about marriage? What's that mean?
It's a rule made by society. No, seriously, it's something sacred and it's incredible security – you've found your companion for a lifetime. It's all based on honesty, I'd say.
What inspires you?
Life. And when other people have faith in me, mostly that spurs me on.
Who do you have most faith in?
Myself.
And what does God mean to you?
He's a friend – someone I can always ask for help.
And what would you take with you if you were to leave earth?
A carton of Marlboro Lights, I guess.
What do you wanna be when you grow up?
Retired!