Vivek OberoiThe man who has given some of his best performances in Bollywood recently opened up about the ups and downs of his career. He revealed that he turned down a debut film planned by his father and chose to pave his own path. Vivek also revealed that he spent three weeks in slums to prepare for his role in The Company after being initially rejected by the director Ram Gopal Varma.
In an interview with The Indian Express, the ‘Masti’ actor shared a pivotal moment from the beginning of his career when he turned down a Bollywood launch planned by his father. Driven by the desire to succeed in his own right, he chose to abandon the security of his father’s movies and carve out his own independent path in the industry.
The decision led to an 18-month struggle with denial and uncertainty. However, Vivek Oberoi is proud of that time as it helped him earn a place in the industry in his own right. “I passed up the opportunity and struggled for 18 months afterwards and faced a lot of rejection, but I’m proud of the choice,” the actor said.
Vivek, who made his debut with “Company” in 2002, shared his difficult journey of getting roles in films. Initially rejected by director Ram Gopal Varma, who felt that Vivek’s glamorous appearance did not match the tough character of slum dweller Chandu, Vivek was determined to prove Himself, he asked for a meeting despite being rebuffed.
To play the role in “The Company,” he took an unconventional approach. Vivek chose not to return home after Ram Gopal Varma asked him to wait three weeks for a meeting. Instead, he rented a room in a nearby slum and completely immersed himself in the character. Recalling that moment, he said, “I didn’t go home from his office; I didn’t go home from his office.” I went directly to a nearby slum, rented a room there, paid the rent, and moved Go in. I lived there for three weeks.
To fully immerse himself in the character of Chandu, a slum dweller, Vivek Oberoi observed and recorded the speech and behavior of locals. He also recruited a struggling photographer to help him transition, promising a chance to shoot his first magazine cover if the photographer managed to capture the right look.
Vivek completely transformed into Chandu during his last meeting with Ram Gopal Varma to land the role in “Company”. He was wearing shabby slippers, baggy trousers and a tattered waistcoat and was holding a beedi in his hand. When he walked into Varma’s office, he kicked open the door and confidently placed a picture of himself on the table, making a lasting impression.
His intense and focused performance impressed Ram Gopal Varma, who immediately offered him the role. However, Vivek maintained his personality even when the director asked him to stop smoking in the office. For Vivek, working with the company’s visionary directors is a dream come true.
On the work front, the actor has been away from the screen for some time. He was last seen in the 2019 biographical drama PM Modi‘.
Vivek Oberoi admits he once wanted to ‘end it all’: ‘That’s why I was associated with what happened to Sushant Singh Rajput…’
