What is there to hide, asks Sonal Chauhan

Actors Sonal Chauhan and  Neil Nitin Mukesh have been the talk of B-Town lately. Having been spotted and photographed together innumerable times in the recent past,  it has triggered a series of rumours that suggest the two may be a couple. Though they have chosen to stay mum so far, Sonal maintains that the two are just friends.

“Neil is a really sweet guy. I  met him recently through the film and we have quite a few common friends. All of us often hang out together and enjoy each other’s company. He’s a lovely human being and a fantastic friend to have. I am extremely fond of him,” she says.

So, then what sparked off the rumours of her and Neil being a couple, we ask. Sonal dismisses the story, saying that it could’ve started because they’re doing a film together. She’s quick to add that the link-up took her by surprise. “I’ve never been linked to any actor in my life so this is a first for me,” she says. “Earlier when I would hear of two actors getting linked up, I would always think that they weren’t rumours. Now that I am in that place, I know how these stories get concocted.”

So, is she dating Neil or not? “Neil  and I are not dating,” says the actor.  “We are just friends and like any other friends in the world; we go out for coffees and movies. I went to a co-ed school and even while growing up I had a lot of guy friends. If I was dating anyone, why would I hide it? It would be shameful if I hid a relationship, but here, there is really nothing. I guess it just got blown out of proportion because Neil is single and so am I, and people have gone to town about it,” she rues.

The rumours, however, do not seem to have made a dent in Sonal’s equation with Neil, but it sure was a cause of concern for her when it came to her parents; she didn’t want them to be affected by it. “I was concerned about my parents and their reaction. I didn’t know what they would think so I explained the entire situation to them. In any case, I am very open with them and I am sure they know that if there is something happening on that front, I would surely tell them. With Neil, there is no awkwardness at all. We just laugh about these things,” she laughs.