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Vivek Anand Oberoi: There is nothing normal about the ‘new normal’, it is unnatural

Actor Vivek Anand Oberoi shares challenges of shooting amid the pandemic and why he is most worried about the impending third wave.

Published on: Aug 30, 2021, 22:05:44 IST
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Vivek Anand Oberoi might have already taken his Covid-19 vaccination, but the actor admits that the fear of virus is still there. And hence, shooting amid the pandemic, along with several other people on a film set, can, at times, be daunting.

Actor Vivek Anand Oberoi recently shot for a project in Jaipur amid Covid.
Actor Vivek Anand Oberoi recently shot for a project in Jaipur amid Covid.

But as they say, the show must go on. The actor too, has been working, and even went for an outdoor shoot in Jaipur. Ask him how does it feel coming back to his family after being exposed to the outside world, he says, “Even though I take whatever precautions I can, at the end of the day, you still have a lingering doubt at the back of the head that, ‘I am going back home’, especially with the talk of the third wave.”

A father to two kids — Vivaan (8) and Ameyaa (6) — Oberoi is all the more worried, as the this impending third wave is being said to affect children more than the adults.

“All these talks about kids… mine are so attached to me and so young. Even if I am out for four days, whenever I come back, they come running to me to hug me. I have to stop them there and say, ‘Hold on, I have to go, take a shower, steam’, and then sit down,” rues the doting father.

The 44-year-old, who was last seen in the 2019 film Rustom and has season 3 of Inside Edge lined up next, feels that terming the current scenario ‘new normal’ doesn’t really cut the fear.

Elaborating his point, he continues, “This all is very unnatural. People say it’s the new normal, but I find that there is nothing ‘normal’ about it. So, it is not a great feeling at all. But what is a great relief is to actually take off the mask and act in front of the camera. That’s something we all actors love to do.”

  • Rishabh Suri
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Rishabh Suri

    Rishabh Suri is an Assistant Editor, film critic, and professional overthinker of plot points. He writes for HT City, keeping pace with an industry where news cycles expire long before the popcorn gets cold. He completed his graduation in English Honours from Kirori Mal College, followed by a Master’s degree in English Literature-effectively training his brain to over-analyse classic texts before applying those exact same skills to 3-hour Bollywood blockbusters. He got into the profession when he had barely graduated from college and has been at HT ever since. At HT, Rishabh reviews films with a simple rule: skip the dense academic jargon and get straight to the point. Beyond reviews, as Assistant Editor, he helps navigate the broader circus of showbiz, tracking everything from OTT shifts to sudden box office panics. In a beat driven by loud PR machinery and carefully scripted answers, Rishabh prefers cutting through the noise to focus on how stories get made and why trends shift. When he isn’t writing against a deadline, he is usually sitting in a dark theater, compulsively memorising dialogues. For Rishabh, analysing movies isn't just a day job- it’s a habit he couldn't turn off even if he tried.Read More