Vivek Oberoi looked back at his journey as an actor when he was working on Shaad Ali’s 2002 film Saathiya.
Vivek Oberoi’s lover boy act in Shaad Ali’s 2002 film Saathiya is still cherished by fans. Co-starring Rani Mukerji, the romantic drama was a remake of Mani Ratnam’s Alaipayuthey starring R Madhavan and Shalini. Recently in an interaction with SCREEN, the Company actor reflected upon his journey as an actor on this film.
Vivek shared that there were times when he would shot for 23 hours and even slept on benches.
“Saathiya was a small budget film and only Rani used to get the makeup van. I had to go and change in restaurant bathrooms and hotel washrooms. I did the touch-ups on the streets. Nobody knew who I was. I used to carry the tripod on my shoulder and walk with the rest of the crew. I have shot for 22-23 hours non-stop for Saathiya. I used to put newspapers on the bench and take a nap so that I looked fresh,” the actor shared with the publication.
Further, the Shootout At Lokhandwala actor also shared that he had initially turned down Saathiya, but changed his mind after watching Alaipayuthey.
He recalled, “Shaad Ali was like a childhood friend. He called me one day and said he wanted to show me something. He showed me the tape of a Tamil film called Alaipayuthey. He told me he was making that film and wanted me to play Maddy’s role. I was doing Company, so I said no. But by the end of the movie, I was crying and I wanted to do it. I spoke to Mr. Verma, we figured it out, and then finally I signed Saathiya.”
Meanwhile, Saathiya clocks 22 years today (December 20, 2024). The film continues to enjoy a massive fan-following and its songs are still popular with the audience.
