Vivek Oberoi on Malayalam cinema: I like their innovation in storytelling, intricacy in their screenplays

While Vivek Oberoi has worked on a wide range of projects in the Hindi film business, he has also taken on projects from the South to broaden his horizons. Since his Telugu debut with Rakta Charitra in 2010, he has appeared in films such as Vivegam (Tamil), Lucifer (Malayalam), and Rustum (Kannada). Oberoi's next film will be Kaduva, a Malayalam actioner set in the 1990s in which he will star alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran.

Talking about being a part of South movies, the Company actor told The Times of India that he must grasp the milieu in which the film is set, as actor. Oberoi develops a backstory for his character and comprehends the impulses that drive his actions, regardless of whether it's an out-and-out commercial film or a content-driven effort. He approaches every character with the same level of sincerity and attempts to make it as genuine as possible, whether he's playing the nice guy or the evil guy.

Working in the South Indian film business, Oberoi shared that it takes a totally different approach, especially in Malayalam cinema. Putting them all in the same category isn't fair because each industry has its own character, quirks, and specialities. What he admires about Malayalam cinema is its inventive storytelling and the dexterity with which its screenplays are written. The actor went on to praise Malayalam cinema by saying that they never had the financial means to produce large-scale films. Their content has risen significantly in size. Kaduva, like Lucifer, has a huge budget. Even with large budgets, it's now in their DNA to use rich storytelling to hook audiences, often without a visual show.

Meanwhile, Oberoi continued by sharing that Tamil and Telugu movies have been greater in terms of financial play, and in recent times, their films are captivating people all over the country and making excellent box office revenues. 

Talking about Hindi movies, Oberoi said that, except for filmmakers like Rohit Shetty, Hindi cinema has created a void. Bollywood has moved away from entertainers like Manmohan Desai and Prakash Mehra and toward more urban storylines. They have got into the habit of referring to films as "family entertainers" or "formula pictures," which are popular across India. While it has its advantages, it does so at the expense of the capacity to amuse an Indian audience. The Inside Edge actor revealed that South Indian filmmakers are doing an excellent job at it, combining newness, visual appeal, and storyline.

Talking about remakes, Oberoi explained that originally, Hindi films would be remade in the South, but now it's the other way around. They continually rewrite movies based on their plots. There is a telling connection between their content and their content. The film industry in the South takes a very unique approach, which is amazing.

Oberoi enjoys working in the South Indian film industry because he has developed fantastic cross-industry ties. It's as if one is working with a group of buddies. They have creative ideas that have a lot of potential to reach the Hindi-speaking public. The other factor is commercial prosperity, which the South has excelled at providing.