'Kisna was my most complex role'

Vivek Oberoi talks to Jyothi Venkatesh about his latest film, flops and his decision to adopt a tsunami-hit village in Tamil Nadu, India

Tabloid: How was the experience of working with Subhash Ghai in Kisna?

Vivek Oberoi: It is the first time that I have worked in a period film. Kisna was a fantastic experience for me as an actor and I learnt a lot from filmmaker Subhash Ghai.

When I heard the story, I was speechless. After Ghai finished the narration of Kisna, I told him that I was scared to act in a such a film in the title role. I did not think I had the capacity to perform such a complex role.

He convinced me and taught me to expand my horizon. As an actor he let me explore myself thoroughly.

Tell us about the kind of homework you did to get into the skin of your character in Kisna?

There was no need to prepare myself for the character of Kisna. Right from the time I did Company I have this reputation of being an actor who does a lot of home work .

I had the answers to all my questions as Subhash Ghai had done all the home work for the film. He knew all the nuances of the character because he was living, breathing and sleeping Kisna.

To put it in a nutshell, Subhash Ghai motivated me as an actor even before the film went on the floors.

Would you say that Kisna is your best film?

All I can say is , it is a very relative question.

Some feel that Yuva has been my best careerwise, while some feel that Saathiyaa was my best. Yet others feel my role in Company, my debut film, was best since I stood up to a formidable actor like Ajay Devgan.

Different people have different perceptions. Instead of saying that my performance in Kisna is the best in my career, I would say, Kisna was the most complex role in my career. The role had several layers to it.

Without Ghai’s guidance I could not have come up with even a fraction of the kind of “mind-blowing performance” as he says, I have given in the film.

As an actor, to what extent were you in awe of your character in Kisna?

During the process of discovering the character, you discover yourself too.

I was certainly in awe of Kisna’s character. This created a strong sense of respect for the character within me, which helped me portray the character better as an actor.

I gave my level best as an actor. I told Ghai the face was mine and the performance was his. I believe you have to trust the director to give your best as an actor.

What are your other releases this year?

I have completed Kaal. Karan Johar is the producer and Soham Shah the director. He is a young and promising talent for a first time director. All I say about the film is that it is a thriller.

How did you find your co-stars Isha Shravani and Antonio Bernath in Kisna?

Both Isha Shravani and Antonio Bernath have been wonderful co-stars.

At the end of the day’s shooting I was lucky to be with my family but Antonio, who had come from the United Kingdom missed hers.

What has been your growth as an actor over the years from Company to Kisna?

Life is an ever-evolving process and always keeps on changing. Growth is important, both as a person as well as an actor.

I realise I have grown as far as my ability and potential as an actor is concerned. I have no qualms in admitting that I am an ordinary actor who is learning his craft day-by-day. I love acting and so I am here in this industry.

To what extent have you been affected by the failure of your film Kyon Ho Gaya Na?

You have to define what the word ‘affected’ means. You learn to walk only when you fall. For me the failure of Kyon Ho Gaya Na was positive because with every failure I learn.

Kyon Ho Gaya Na was not my first flop. I had already tasted failure with films like Road, Dum and Darna Mana Hai early in my career. I hope to learn not only with every hit but also with every flop.

Don’t forget I am only three years old in the industry; still a toddler trying to find his feet here.

One cannot determine what goes right when and what goes wrong when. Yuva did not translate into even half of the business it was expected to do at the box office.

Who would you blame for the flopping of your films?

I do not blame anybody for any of my failures. Since I chose to work in those films, I think I am responsible for every single failure of mine.

Karma Kar Phal Ki Chinta Mat Karna (Do your duty and don’t think of the results) is what I learnt while working in Kisna.

My motto in life is to learn and move on. There is no surefire formula for success. There is no one reason for failure. An actor will blame the director; the director will blame the scriptwriter and so on. Every one will have a different reason because hindsight is the most convenient thing. However, success has many fathers because lots of people contribute to your film’s success whereas failure is no one’s child.

How many projects do you have in the pipeline?

I do not believe in speaking about my forthcoming films as projects. I am in the negotiating stage with filmmakers like Inder Kumar and Shyam Benegal but nothing concrete has materialised.

Does money play a vital role while taking up a film?

All that I can say is that there is a concerted and conscious effort on my part to try and do a different role not just to prove myself as an actor but to enjoy the process as an actor.

Money does not play a vital role for me when it comes to selecting a film. Though it is definitely an industry, which works on commerce, for people like me for whom work is a passion, money isn’t important. If a role offered to me or the filmmaker excites me, I will be ready to do a film for free.

You have adopted a tsunami-affected village in Tamil Nadu. Tell us more about it.

The suffering of the villagers of the tsunami-hit village of Thevanampattinam in the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu moved me.

After discussing with my family guru Swami Chidanand Saraswathi and my parents, I decided to adopt the village. I undertook to co-ordinate the relief work there and name the task Project Hope. After spending almost a week there, I have returned to Mumbai to push for more funds and resources.

It is my aim to build a model village out of the affected areas in Thevanampattinam, a big fishing village.

Did you use your star status to motivate volunteers there to rebuild the village?

What I liked was the fact that no one knew who I was when I set out to help the people affected by the calamity.

I spent time in their ruined huts, consoling them. Along with around 300 young students we made the only Arts College in the village, which was in shambles, functional within 24 hours.

We provided the affected people with three provision stores to enable the ladies to earn their own livelihood without depending on the government for their day-to-day activities.

We rebuild 200 homes and also set up five medical centres and community kitchens. This experience has altered my vision as an actor and as a human being.