Panaji: Putting a legal seal on their eight-year-long romance, Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal has officially tied the knot with his longtime partner, South African model and designer Gabriella Demetriades. The couple registered their marriage on Friday afternoon at the Sub-Registrar’s office in Mapusa, North Goa, surrounded by close friends.
Arriving in casual attire around 4:00 pm, the 53-year-old actor and Demetriades completed the legal formalities under Goa’s Uniform Civil Code. According to Sub-Registrar Suraj Vernekar, the couple was granted special permission by the Assistant Public Prosecutor of the local court to bypass the mandatory 15-day waiting period usually required between the first and second signatures. The official marriage certificate will be handed over to them in a fortnight.
The legal wedding comes a year after Rampal confirmed his engagement to Demetriades during an appearance on Rhea Chakraborty’s podcast.
Rampal and Demetriades have been in a live-in relationship since 2018. Over the years, they have built a family together, welcoming their first son, Arik, in 2019, followed by their second son, Ariv.
For a long time, the couple had been vocal about not needing a legal document to validate their bond. In an earlier interview on a popular YouTube podcast, Rampal had shared his thoughts on the institution of marriage, stating, “What is marriage? A piece of paper after all. I think we are already married, and there is no doubt in my mind about that.” However, he also acknowledged that signing the paper can sometimes alter the dynamics of a relationship, making people feel legally bound rather than organically connected. Despite those past reservations, the couple has now decided to take the legal plunge.
Before his relationship with Demetriades, the Rock On!! actor was married to former Miss India and supermodel Mehr Jesia for two decades. They tied the knot in 1998 and share two daughters, Mahikaa and Myra. Rampal and Jesia mutually separated in 2018 and finalised their divorce in 2019. The former couple continues to co-parent their daughters amicably.