While Vivek Oberoi has done a variety of films in his career in the Hindi film industry, he has occasionally picked up projects from the South, too, to push his boundaries. While Rakta Charitra (2010) marked his debut in Telugu cinema, more recently, he has been seen in films like Vivegam (Tamil), Lucifer (Malayalam) and Rustum (Kannada). His next outing is the Malayalam actioner Kaduva, which is set in the 1990s and will see him locking horns with Prithviraj Sukumaran.

“As an actor, it’s important for me to understand the milieu in which the film is set,” he says, adding, “Irrespective of whether it’s an out-and-out commercial film or a content-driven project, I create a backstory for my character and understand the motives which drive his actions. Whether I play the good guy or the bad guy, I approach every role with the same level of sincerity and aim to make it as genuine as possible.”

Elaborating about working in the south film industry, Vivek who has shared screen space with renowned actors like Ajith and Ram Charan, shares, “It takes a very different approach, especially Malayalam cinema. Clubbing them under one bracket is not has its own identity, peculiarities and specialities. What I like about Malayalam cinema is their innovation in storytelling and the intricacy with which they write their screenplays. Malayalam cinema never had enough money to make big scale films. The size of their content has grown considerably. Lucifer was big budget-wise and so is Kaduva.”

Vivek says, “Even with big budgets, it’s now part of their DNA to work with detailed storytelling and engage people, sometimes even without a visual spectacle.”

Talking about Tamil and Telugu cinema, the actor adds, “Tamil and Telugu cinema have been bigger in terms of financial play and in recent times, their films are engaging audiences all over the country, and registering great box office collections. There is a vacuum created by Hindi cinema with exceptions of filmmakers like Rohit Shetty. We have stopped the Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra entertainers and veered towards more urban stories. We went into the zone of calling family entertainers, formula films, something that all of India responds to. While it has its benefits, it leaves behind the ability to entertain an all-India audience. South Indian filmmakers are fulfilling that in great style — they’re able to do it with newness, visual appeal and storytelling. Initially, our films would be remade in the south and it is a kind of a role reversal now. We are constantly remaking films from their narratives. There is a connect on a story level with their content. The south film industry takes a very different approach, which is incredible.”

“The reason I love working in the South Indian film industries is because I have built wonderful relationships across industries. Working there is like working with friends. They have innovative ideas and there is a strong potential to bring them to the Hindi speaking audience. The other thing is the commercial success, which the south has been able to provide well,” he signs off.

Transforming physically for a film can be an uphill task. Vivek Oberoi is required to attain a lean physique for the role of the antagonist in the Malayalam film, Kaduva. It is heard that the actor has roped in celebrity fitness trainer Rahul Bhatt to help him achieve the goal.

Bhatt — who had closely worked with Aamir Khan to help him sport two distinct looks in Dangal (2016) — has apparently put Oberoi on a new fitness regimen, coupling it with intermittent fasting. “Rahul makes Vivek work out thrice a day, which are done in short bursts and minus free weights. He doesn’t want the actor to achieve a cosmetic alteration, and is instead focusing on making him fighting fit. The diet involves 20 hours of intermittent fasting, while the actor simultaneously shoots for the film. Rahul is ensuring that Vivek’s BMR [basal metabolic rate] is consistent. The idea is to get rid of body fat and develop muscle strength, while keeping a check that the metabolism doesn’t slow down,” says a source close to the actor.

Bhatt has travelled with Oberoi to Kerala where the unit is filming the Prithviraj Sukumaran-starrer.