Interview with Vivek Oberoi (cast PM Modi )

Why do you think your film hasn’t received as much support from the film industry?

Fear. The industry has always been a soft target. So they don’t get into the crossfire of anything that’s political. Clicking a selfie with the Prime Minister is one thing, but probably standing up for a film that is in some way threatening or making an opposition insecure across multiple parties across India is another. There was one mahagatbandhan standing against my film. From Sharad Pawar to Stalin, all wanted to ban my film.

Were you always politically inclined?

Generally people say that retired actors become politicians. I think I am a retired politician who became an actor. What people don’t know about me is that I was a very successful student politician. I was the general secretary of Mithibai College [in Mumbai], then University representative. I won elections at Bombay University and became GS there too.



Why not contest as an independent like actor Prakash Raj did this time?

He’s a very big name. But I don’t know how much work he will get done. I believe that you can operate the party machinery and influence it. In the last 11-12 years so much of my work in the social sector has been possible because I have been away from politics. I have built three schools in Uttar Pradesh. We have rescued 2,200 girls under Project DEVI (Development and Empowerment of Vrindavan Girls Initiative) over last decade.