It’s an odd Saturday when your morning begins with watching actor Vivek Oberoi get mobbed in a hotel lobby. He manages to duck just in time, and escape the microphones being shoved into his face. Everyone is curious to know what he is doing at an event that calls itself ‘World Confluence of Humanity, Power and Spirituality’. Questions from the media fly fast and furious. He answers each one. I wait for the interrogation to get over, and go say hello.
I am not surprised that Oberoi is here. The last time I heard of him, it was in relation to a reception he and his mother, Yashodhara, had hosted for a delegation of Pakistani citizens who had come all the way to India for a ten-day meditation course. It was an experience that transformed the way in which Oberoi perceived Pakistanis. His first-hand interaction allowed him to see past the stereotypes he had grown to believe. “They are just like us, Chintan,” he said. “There is so much they have to struggle with but they have not given up. I would like to continue being part of such initiatives that bring people together, that focus on friendly exchange.”
'Pakistanis are just like us', believes Vivek Oberoi
Vivek Oberoi's family traces its roots to Chakwal. His father was born in Quetta
As the conversation proceeds, I learn that his family traces its roots to Chakwal, which is part of present day Pakistan. His father, Suresh, was born in Quetta. “My father was a babe in arms when the Partition happened,” he says. “I want to go to Pakistan but some people tell me that it is not safe. In fact, I had the chance to meet their Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, at Narendra bhai’s swearing-in ceremony in Delhi. He told me that I would be welcomed in Pakistan, whenever I decide to go.”
This, to me, is Vivek Oberoi 2.0 - the one I met almost 12 years ago was not on a first-name basis with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. And he certainly did not speak at gatherings like this, sandwiched between political dignitaries and spiritual luminaries. When it is his turn to speak, he takes to the stage like a complete natural.
Vrindavan is traditionally associated with Radha and Krishna
“These days, people believe more in Google than God. They forget that they are always within his network,” he says. “We are so particular about recharging the gadgets we use but we must remember, most importantly, to recharge our souls,” he adds.
He reveals that his full name is Vivekanand Oberoi. His father had named him after Swami Vivekanand, a prominent orator, philosopher and spiritual leader. “I dropped the ‘Anand’ part of my name when I joined films. This was out of respect for Swamiji. I didn’t want to use his name while romancing heroines and dancing around trees,” he says.
My mind races back to an afternoon on a film set in Mumbai itself. He was shooting a song sequence for the film ‘Masti’ with co-actor Lara Dutta. I happened to be there. The lyrics began in this fashion: “Chori chori chhora chhori chhat pe milenge/ Toh khelenge prem game/ Chhod ke saari baatein / Bus romance rahega main/ On the roof, in the rain.” They required a number of retakes, and all the artificial rain made Dutta really sick.
It seems like an incident from another lifetime. Dutta is hardly seen in movies now. Oberoi was last seen in a delightful reality television show called ‘India’s Best Dramebaaz’, featuring child actors. He is now working, he says, on running an educational programme for girls in Vrindavan, a town known for its association with two legendary lovers - Radha and Krishna! How things change!
Chintan Girish Modi is a Mumbai-based writer. That he shares his last name with a Prime Minister is purely a matter of coincidence. He tweets at @chintan_connect
