Before he became ‘Chandu Nagre’ in ‘Company’ (2002), Vivek Oberoi had to fight for the part. Ram Gopal Varma initially passed on him, feeling he lacked the rough, street-hardened edge the character needed. Determined to change that, Oberoi moved into a small rented room in a Mumbai chawl for three weeks, using the experience to soak in the character’s world and truly get under his skin before stepping in front of the camera.
Vivek Oberoi on turning down a ready-made launch
Speaking to The Indian Express, Vivek Oberoi opened up about turning down the chance to be launched by his father, veteran actor Suresh Oberoi. Despite this being the easier path, he decided against it, driven by a desire to carve out his own identity in the industry. He said, “I walked away from that opportunity, struggled for 18 months after that, and faced a lot of rejection, but I am proud of that choice.”
Vivek Oberoi’s three weeks in a chawl to become Chandu
When Ram Gopal Varma took on ‘Company’ as director, he wasn’t sure Vivek’s sophisticated, well-groomed image could pull off the raw intensity Chandu’s character demanded. He therefore asked Oberoi to take three weeks and come back. The actor didn’t waste a moment of it. He recalled, “From his office, I didn’t go home. I went straight to a nearby slum, took a kholi (room) there, paid the rent and moved into it. I lived there for three weeks.” He transformed nearly every aspect of himself, the way he carried himself, his small everyday habits, and even worked alongside a struggling photographer to shape the right visual look for his character.
Ram Gopal Varma’s next project after Vivek Oberoi’s ‘Company’
Meanwhile, on the professional front, Ram Gopal Varma has announced his next project, ‘Syndicate’. The story centers on a shadowy organisation posing a serious threat to India’s existence.
Vivek Oberoi’s journey and what’s next for him
On the other hand, Vivek Oberoi made his acting debut in 2002 and has since built a name for himself with films like ‘Saathiya’, ‘Yuva’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Company’, and ‘Shootout At Lokhandwala’. Up next, he’ll be seen playing Vibhishan in Nitesh Tiwari’s high-profile ‘Ramayana Part 1’.
