Vivek Oberoi: The people of Dharavi made me feel special

Vivek Anand Oberoi

Vivek Anand Oberoi has been shooting for his web series, Dharavi Bank, since last November. While the makers conducted the first stint at Film City in Goregaon, director Samit Kakkad then took the drama to Dharavi, where a chunk of the show is set. With Oberoi, Suniel Shetty and Sonali Kulkarni filming in the Dharavi slums until last week, locals used to flock in to witness the shoot.

Filming in live locations usually leads to crowd management concerns. Oberoi, however, was pleased to see how the locals ensured that the team had a smooth shoot. On several occasions, after the day's shoot, they invited the actor to their homes. "When people welcome you with open arms into their homes, you feel special. The people of Dharavi have made me feel that from the first day of the shoot," says the actor, touched by their generous spirit. He reveals they would often bring home-cooked food for him. "They would invite me to share their food, bring cold water from their matka, or put an old table fan to help me beat the heat. One of the potters, whose family has been in the business for generations, gifted me diyas for my home. She refused to take money despite my insistence. Their homes might be little, but their hearts are huge."

It is heard that Oberoi has taken on the responsibility of financing the education of five underprivileged girls from the area. A source says, "On learning that the girls were considering dropping out of school due to financial constraints, he decided to sponsor their education."