Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has revisited the casting story behind his 2002 crime drama Company, saying that actor Vivek Oberoi’s frequently shared account of how he landed the role is only “half true.”
Over the years, Vivek has often said that he was initially rejected for the role of Chandru because he appeared “too polished” to play a street-level gangster. According to the actor’s version, he later spent time observing life in a Mumbai slum and returned to meet Varma with a more rugged look and demeanour, which eventually helped him secure the part. However, Varma recently offered a different perspective while speaking to journalist Vickey Lalwani. Addressing Vivek’s recollection, the director said, “There is a slight mix-up in that. It’s only half true; that doesn’t mean that he’s lying. After a long time, you may mix up your memories.”
Varma explained that he had already been considering Vivek for the role before their meeting. According to him, Vivek’s father, veteran actor Suresh Oberoi, had first introduced him to the idea by showing photographs of his son. “When his father showed me his photos first… At that time, I was even trying to cast Abhishek Bachchan,” Varma said.
The filmmaker added that Suresh Oberoi later arranged for him to see Vivek’s audition tape. “Suresh came and showed me his son’s pictures. Then I went with him to his house and saw a short audition video. I was convinced about him right away,” Varma recalled, noting that Vivek later worked on his look and body language after learning about the role.
Released in 2002, Company marked Vivek Oberoi’s acting debut and became one of the notable films exploring the Mumbai underworld. The film also starred Ajay Devgn, Mohanlal and Manisha Koirala in key roles. Varma also suggested that Oberoi may have benefited from continuing to take on similarly intense characters later in his career.
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