Rumours are rife that actors Raqesh Bapat and Shamita Shetty, who are currently dating, are on the verge of a break-up. But as per Bapat, what they have is “solid”. He says, “We are in a happy zone; she is a dear friend. Friendship has to be so strong that nothing else can affect it.”

Ask about their relationship and he quickly retorts, “I wouldn’t name it relationship. It’s a bond. We just give names to things. It’s like two people enjoying the space with each other. I respect Shamita. She is a pure soul.”

The two have been quite vocal about their relationship since they got out of a reality show last year, but Bapat seems in no mood to talk much about it now: “I don’t want to talk about it. If there is any kind of progression, people will get to know,” he says.

While he doesn’t openly address their current relationship status, he goes on to quash the break-up rumours: “I don’t understand where these rumours come from. There are people who are speculating and it’s good for them; that’s how the industry works. It’s gossip.”

Reportedly, it was his decision to continue to stay in Pune, his hometown, which led to friction between him and Shetty. “Beyond work, I don’t like hanging around in Mumbai,”

Bapat shares, clarifying that he and Shetty “don’t speak about these things”. In an earlier interview, Bapat had said that he doesn’t believe in the institution of marriage anymore. But now, he calls it a “phase”: “I was in a zone when I said that. I don’t know what will happen in the future. I don’t want to preempt things.”