'Omkara': When Saif taught Vivek Oberoi guitar to impress Kareena!
As Vishal Bhardwaj's 2006 film Omkara re-releases in theaters, actor Vivek Oberoi has shared some behind-the-scenes memories from the film's shoot. In an exclusive interview with Zoom, Oberoi, who played the character Kesu Firangi in the movie, revealed that he learned to play the guitar from co-star Saif Ali Khan during the shoot. He also spoke about his experience of filming in a recreated village.
Oberoi learned guitar from Khan to teach Kapoor Khan
During the interview, Oberoi shared one of his favorite memories from the Omkara shoot was learning to play the guitar in between shots. He was taught by Khan so that he could, in turn, teach Kapoor Khan to serenade on-screen. "They weren't a couple then but destiny got them together later in life. So many wonderful memories," he reminisced. Notably, Kapoor Khan and Khan tied the knot in 2012.
Oberoi said he was 'lucky' to be part of 'Omkara'
Oberoi told the publication, "Sometimes magic just happens on a film set and most creative people spend an eternity hoping to be a part of that magic. I was lucky that Vishal bhai roped me in to play Kesu Firangi in a stellar cast onscreen and we became good friends off screen." For his performance, Oberoi won Best Supporting Actor at the Asian Festival of First Films.
Actor recalls filming in recreated village
Oberoi also shared his experience of shooting the film in a recreated village. "It was amazing to live in that entire village recreated by Kumar Mangatji who was so incredibly passionate about this film," he said. The actor also praised Bhardwaj's adaptation of Shakespeare's play Othello in Omkara. "The ability to adapt Shakespeare so natively that it feels like a story of India's hinterland is an incredible accomplishment for the entire team," he said.
