MUMBAI: Actor Arjun Bijlani was shocked beyond belief when he learnt the news of his friend and former neighbour Sushant Singh Rajput’s death on June 14. Ever since he has been following with the case which initially was said to be alleged suicide but is now under CBI for the probability of murder or abetment to suicide.

Having known Sushant closely as a colleague in the television industry for years, Arjun is disturbed and upset with the theories floating around Sushant’s death. While no legal judgment has been passed yet, some theories suggest that Bollywood’s nepotism was behind Sushant’s alleged suicide, others claim that he was murdered and some even going on to say that he was under financial stress which forced him to take the step.

“Sushant was a happy-go-lucky guy, and we used to regularly discuss work. In fact, we have had many discussions on competition, various film projects and how we, as outsiders, can also make it in films. He would always say that it never bothered him that he was not from a filmi family. He used to tell me that these things are trivial, and he would fight against all odds to achieve his dreams. So, I really don’t feel that he would (allegedly) commit suicide because of such reasons,” says Arjun.

Arjun, who still stays in the apartment, where Sushant lived with former girlfriend Ankita Lokhande before moving out, also points that ‘depression’ was not in the Kai Po Che star’s dictionary.
“Sushant was not someone who would get depressed over things. Also, during our friendship, I never found him grappling with mental health issues. He was also not someone who would be bogged down by financial concerns. So, I am baffled by the multiple theories that are floating about Sushant’s death. I sincerely want the real reason behind his death to come out. A happy, promising and talented guy like Sushant just disappeared from our lives! We all need to know what happened. I am happy that the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) is investigating this and we all hope to get closure soon. ”

Arjun does regret not staying in touch with Sushant.“I don’t remember exactly when I met him last. Maybe at some party with a bunch of friends, at least a year ago. But I do remember thinking of him on May 29 and texting him, because I wanted to know how he was doing. However, I never received any reply. The next news I heard about him was on June 14, that he had died by suicide. Later, I came to know that in the last year, he had changed his number several times and therefore, my message never reached him,” he shares.