Prince Charming heads back to the silver screen

My first encounter with the dashing Vivek Oberoi took place among the glitz and the glamour of the IIFA Awards in Singapore.

The year was 2004 and Oberoi was still romancing the lovely Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. When the media quiz-zed him about the common factor the couple shared, Oberoi promptly replied "love". Almost six years have since passed and his equations have changed drastically on the professional and personal front. While hot Ash went on to end the relationship, subsequently finding solace with Abhishek Bachchan, Oberoi underwent something which he described as, perhaps, the worst phase of his life.

My second encounter with Oberoi was exciting yet embarrassing, as host of the entertainment show Star Attraction on Saffron TV. I had the privilege of interviewing Imran Khan and Oberoi in Durban for the shooting of Luck and Prince respectively.

Hysterically overjoyed like a teen- age movie fanatic about having two scoops on the same day, the inter- view with Khan was a memorable one - so memorable that I found myself two hours behind schedule and had to persuade Oberoi to still grant my interview.

The trip from central Durban to Umhlanga was a chaotic and furious one and, despite reaching my "destination", the Saffron crew were still hopelessly lost.

Here we were in our beautiful country, and this Bollywood "star" was helping me with directions. Despite the inevitable embarrassment, I was greeted by a smiling, yet tired-looking, Oberoi, who quickly changed wardrobes as we prepared for the interview, but not before he offered to make us coffee.

As we chatted about everything from his career to his personal life, the camaraderie shared could have been easily mistaken for friends catching up.

The son of actor Suresh, Oberoi's visit to the country in August 2008 was to shoot for this week's new re- lease, Prince, in which he plays a thief named Prince who only has five days to live and solve the mystery surrounding three lovely ladies.

In his quest to find answers, Prince must overcome a web of deception and evade the FBI, while ensuring the safety of the world.

Speaking fondly about his grand and award-winning journey into Bollywood with the hit crime thriller Company, he shared a rarely told story of how his mentor, Ram Gopal Verma, had initially thought he was too much of a chocolate-boy hero for his gritty underworld movie.

Determined to scoop the role and unfazed by the sharp criticism, Ob- eroi spent days in the slums of Mumbai to get into character and returned back to Verma's office sporting a dirty, wicked "gunda" look that caught Verma off guard.

Amazed by his dedication, Oberoi finally made his debut in Company, a movie that was the first step of his journey to stardom.

But just as this journey to success and adulation began, it also went through some rough waters, as he recalls his inability to control his success and some of the negative forces that began to create an unpleasant impact.

While regretting his public spat with Salman Khan, Oberoi claims his parents are his greatest support structure and that he is gradually piecing together his career that went through some tumultuous moments when directors and producers gave him the cold shoulder.

Following his mother's path, who has dedicated her life to charitable organisations, Oberoi also has adopted two orphans from a child- ren's home on the Durban North Coast and has been actively involved in social development projects.

While his last few movies have left him without a leading lady (Mission Istanbul and Kurbaan), the handsome actor says he is lucky enough to have three lovely ladies keeping him company in this high-voltage, adrenalin-pumping action movie.

Directed by Kookie Gulati and produced by the Tauranis, the movie marks the debut of Aruna Shields, Nandana Sen and Neeru Singh.

One of the biggest assets of the movie is the outstanding and ener- getic musical score composed by Sachin Gupta, featuring chartbuster tracks like Oh Meri Khuda and Tere Liye. After his rave reviews for his restrained performance in Kurbaan, Oberoi seems once again destined for the bright lights of success and more adulation.

This time, however, I am convinced the talented actor will prove that he can match strides with the best in the industry. After all, it's rare that a Bollywood star offers to make you coffee personally and then graciously waits while you run much later than schedule. These qualities, coupled with his social work, makes Oberoi a Prince Charming.