Vivek Oberoi takes utmost pride in being known as a Chennai boy. So, when we dialled up the actor for a chat, a euphoric Vivek asked, “Eppadi irukkeenga?”
Sharing his excitement about reconnecting with his roots, the Saathiya actor tells us, “Since my mother is from Chennai, I spent a considerable amount of my childhood days at my nani’s house here. Then, there was a long hiatus, and I returned to the city when the tsunami struck (2005). We did a lot of work rebuilding lives, and I also rediscovered my love for Tamil.” Vivek was recently in Chennai to walk the ramp at Denim Fest, where the Indian Police Force actor also showcased diamonds from his brand Solitario at Phoenix MarketCity and Palladium.
When asked why he has been missing from Tamil cinema since Ajith’s Vivegam (2017), he replies promptly, “I have taken pretty much all of this year off to build my companies. However, next year onwards, I will be back on camera as I begin work on three films. But I do watch Tamil films, and I find the storytellers here incredible. For instance, if Mani (Ratnam) Anna ever calls me, I don’t even want to know what the role or script is. I will be there. These are the people who have impressed you so much that you just want to be a part of their creative expression.”
Talking about the pan-Indian trend, Vivek says, “Even back then, films like Sadma, which was originally made in Tamil as Moondram Pirai, and dubbed in Hindi, blew everyone’s minds. We all cried when Kamal Haasan sir was trying to reach out to Sridevi madam in the last scene. It’s just become easier now because of the scale and commercial value of the film. Today, you can watch a movie like Kantara while sitting in Kanpur and be completely in awe.”
Now that he is straddling entrepreneurship and cinema, would he like to invest in films as well? “Well... I have to step back and look at it as an entrepreneur, and that’s difficult for me as I have never looked at films from the commercial aspect. For me, cinema is more of an artistic expression. Of course, the commercial outcome is important, but that’s not the primary motivator. After all, we remember an actor by their performance.”
Considering the actor is literally living out of a suitcase, shuttling between Mumbai, Dubai, and London, courtesy of his business commitments, how does he strike a work-life balance? “I’m still trying to figure that out, and I think I am doing okay. If you ask my wife (Priyanka Alva), I’m failing (laughs).”
And how does he manage to look the same after all these years? “Well, I’m not someone who hides his age or runs away from it. I think it’s cool to be able to be yourself. Look at actors like Rajinikanth sir or Ajith Anna. They are their real selves, but they completely transform when they are on screen. When you accept yourself and embrace everything—the good and the bad—you feel good. Secondly, we need to figure out what makes us happy. For me, it’s the sense of purpose. When I was on ground zero after the tsunami, there was no ulterior motive other than the fact that I wanted to help people. And it was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.”
Between being an entrepreneur and actor, we ask which role he enjoys more, and he says, “Acting is my passion, and I like to immerse myself in it. It's being in the moment and in the character. Entrepreneurship, on the other hand, requires a lot of other things-management skills, team building, capacity building, and capital raising. You have commitments to investors and expectations that you have to live up to. You're doing something that is going to impact the lives of 600+ people who are working for the company. For me, it's a very serious responsibility.”
Email:sangeetha.p@newindianexpress.com
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