Vivek Oberoi: I am a common man

To the world, he may be a star. But Vivek Oberoi's mantra is to find pleasure in the simple things life has to offer. Like travelling in an autorickshaw during the rains, or grabbing a vada-pav from a streetside stall. In conversation with Senior Associate Editor Syed Firdaus Ashraf, the actor explains why he doesn't let stardom get to his head:

I have always loved travelling in autorickshaws. In the rains it is one of the best things to do. The weather is very cold, and you have to put those protective plastic flaps on both sides of the autorickshaw. Then, there are cheetas [splashes] of dirty cold water coming into the rickshaw because of the little openings in the flaps. You move inwards. If two people are sitting inside, they have to sit very close. That is the best romantic place to be. It is a beautiful experience.

Even today, I make it a point to travel by autorickshaws every monsoon. This year too I will do it. Last year, when I took one, I had a great time. I discussed many things with the driver. We discussed movies and exchanged a lot of stories. He was telling me about his business.

I am not interested in being a star. I don't believe in the concept of stardom. I believe stars are [meant to be] in the sky. I am an actor. I like to be down-to-earth. I like people and I like to be around people. They are fascinating. I like to behave like a common man. I am a common man.

I love doing things everyone loves to do. Like recently I bought fruit. I took a banana [from a local fruit vendor]. And the bhaiyya [vendor] was taken aback at seeing me. I paid him and he gave me the banana like he would give any normal person. He just said, "Kaise hain saheb [How are you doing, sir]?"

I love to have misal pav, vada-pav and chai [tea]. I stop and eat at the roadside if I feel like it. If I feel like eating vada-pav, I stop at Mithibai College [in Vile Parle, northwest Mumbai] and have one. If 5,000 people surround me, I go and talk to as many as possible. I have no issues. I never say, "Oh, my God! What will happen? So many people have come!"

If I am genuinely tired when people surround me, I tell them sincerely, 'Boss, I am very tired.' People are damn nice. They understand my problem. But there are some [actors] who create a bubble around themselves. They feel that they are stars. I don't believe in throwing such an attitude.

While shooting for Yuva in Kolkata, I happened to go to a coffee shop once. Thousands of college students surrounded me. I met all of them. Then the police had to intervene because the crowd was becoming impatient.

Sometimes the adulation and love is embarrassing. It is sweet. It is a good [feeling of] embarrassment. Nobody has torn my clothes.

I have a kid in my heart. And I like to do things that I want. I have broken rules. Many people told me I should not do Saathiya after I did Company. They told me I should not have done Darna Mana Hai because it is [like] a television serial. Many people also told me that I should not do the Wakao commercial for Coca-Cola.

People said, "Are you mad? Did Coke force you to do that advertisement?"

I say, "No, I loved it [the idea] because I will not be able to do that in a film."

Now, kids see me and say, "Wakao," and I reply, "Wakao."

As far as acting is concerned, I get high when I act. It is like my drug and cocaine.

I have had a few accidents in the past nine months. There are no reasons why. I don't feel I have done anything wrong for these things to happen to me. It is sad and I don't think I deserve it. Sometimes it is bad luck because all my life I never had accidents. I don't know why I have become prone to accidents. I try to use humour as much as I can in such situations. Every day, I receive current to stimulate my leg and need to bandage my knee. But after my knee dislocation, I started walking in three days. I am a fighter.

As for the future, who knows. I might get into politics. I was general secretary of the students' union in my university. I was independent of all political parties and I won. I was also stabbed once, thanks to college politics, but let us not talk about it.

But yes, I have done pretty much everything a man wants to do.