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Vivek Oberoi has often spoken about his struggles before he landed his first film Company, and in a new interview, the actor shared that he actually lived in the slums, where giant rats kept him company, and he would use public restrooms just to get an idea as to how his character from the film would react to his surroundings. In a new interview, Vivek looked back at this phase of his life and shared that his father was in tears after Ram Gopal Varma cast him.
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Vivek, in a chat with Pinkvilla, shared that he was rejected by RGV at first because he found him to be too “polished” for a hardcore gansgter film. Vivek then took it upon himself to impress RGV and went to live in a slum for a couple of months. “I went and stayed in the slum. For 6-7 weeks, I stayed in a slum. I opened the door on the door in the slum, kept going in the door. Bad rats came at night. Water had to come out due to the movement of the drum. There was no bathroom, you had to use the toilet, you had to stand in line. I realized what Chandu Nagre's (Company's character) life would be like, how he smokes beedi, how he drinks tea, how he talks. (I went and stayed in the slum. For 6-7 weeks, I went to a slum. I rented a room in the slum and stayed there. Giant rats would come in at night. I had to fetch water from inside a drum. There was no bathroom, so you had to use the public washroom. I realised what Chandu Nagre’s (Company’s character) life would be like, how he smokes a beedi, how he drinks tea, how he talks.)”
Vivek wasn’t certain if he would be allowed to audition with RGV again so after living in the slums for a while, he dressed up as the character and landed up at his office. RGV was thoroughly impressed and cast Vivek immediately. “Zabardast audition… I have never seen an audition like this,” Vivek recalled RGV’s words.
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Vivek Oberoi in Company. (Express archive photo)
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After this, RGV drove with Vivek to Suresh Oberoi’s house, where Suresh was gardening. As the director announced that he had cast Vivek, there was a tear in Suresh’s eye, as he was naturally proud of his son. Since RGV wanted to give some signing amount to Vivek, and didn’t have any cash on him, he borrowed Rs 10 from Suresh and gave it to Vovek on the spot.
The 2002 film was a hit and was one of the most unconventional debuts for a mainstream hero.
