Didn’t know I had a dark side until now: Vivek Oberoi

Didn’t know I had a dark side until now: Vivek Oberoi

His villainous turn in 'Krrish 3' is being dubbed a make or break moment for Vivek Oberoi but the actor seemed at ease as we caught up with him in Film City on his birthday yesterday. Excerpts from the interview...

Your past films this year - KLPD and Zilla Ghaziabad did not fare well. How important is the success of Krissh 3 to resurrect your career?
I do not believe in resurrection. I think I have done fairly well in Bollywood and I am reasonably proud of my body of work. If tomorrow I were to retire I know I will be remembered, because I have a few memorable films in my portfolio. My character Kaal in Krrish 3 revels in revenge, hatred and darkness. It's the fuel of this character and it bought me closer to my dark side, one I didn't even know I had. So, the idea now is to expand my portfolio and do diverse roles.

If that is the idea, what makes you do films that put you in a tee shirt with Mallika Sherawat?
These films attracted me on the basis of their concept. On paper it looked very lucrative but unfortunately did not translate on screen. A number of issues happened. But am I embarrassed of them? No. I'd still get into a tee with Riteish and Aftab to promote our film Grand Masti. (Laughs)

Despite the fact that the film has already faced criticism for its brand of humour...
Ideally I wouldn't have done a film like this. At best, I am a reluctant participant. When I read the script, I was shocked. Then I called up Riteish, he too had a similar reaction. Then we both put things in perspective. We, as an audience, enjoy films like American Pie and The Hangover, then why the double standards when it comes to Grand Masti? With this logic, I felt lets go do it. If there was a scene beyond my comfort zone, I put it on Aftab.

You did Masti in 2004. Today you are married and have a kid. What is your family's take on Grand Masti?
There is no friction and my wife is very supportive. She is interested in my work but doesn't interfere. So in that sense, my married status has had no influence on my choice of roles.

Is your wife critical of your roles?
All women are after marriage. Nothing that you do escapes their scrutiny. My wife is my fiercest critic, definitely the most vocal. At the same time, she is my strength and my best friend. She'd never lie to me about how she feels about my performance.

How has fatherhood changed you as a person?
It has revamped me. It has given me perspective and a sense of balance. When Vivaan was born, I was very busy with movies and promotions. I think I have missed out on a lot of milestone moments. I haven't seen him grow as much as I would have liked to. Then it struck me, is this what I really want? Being occupied with work, and barely any time for my son? Then I started cutting down on many work related things. Today I am much calmer and happier because of him; we spend a lot of time cuddling together.