Vivek Oberoi at his candid best with Subhash K Jha.

You turned 32 this month. How was your birthday?
Well I'm working really hard in Cape Town. I totally partied like a rockstar with my entire unit and clebrated my birthday all night.

You went into a shell and then emerged from it lately.
Sometimes in life everything seems uncertain. So I began to see my life in a new perspective. I went through that defining moment of clarity. Now I'm very happy with my life. I wouldn't say I'm content. Because I'm very ambitious. I'm a kid in candy store.

Why are you so low profile and yet rubbing so many people the wrong people?
I'm not low-profile any longer. For the last two months I've been very accessible thanks to my last release Mission Istanbul. I don't know why there's a perception that I've gone underground.

As for rubbing people the wrong way, on the contrary I find a great deal of love support and encouragement. I've made so many new friends. Karan Johar, Shah Rukh and Gauri have been extremely kind to me.

Also Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Riteish ...Akshay Kumar has been a huge support. In fact after my performance at IIFA awards Amitji came up to encourage me.Jaya Aunty was clapping when I danced. Abhishek also sent me an SMS which was really sweet of him.

What other films are you doing?
I'm doing Karan Johar's film directed by Rensil d'Silva. Again a brilliant role. When I read the script my first question to Karan was, why me? He laughed and said it was because I was talented and I could pull it off.

And I love working with Kareena. We share a great rapport after Yuva and Omkara. We share a great chemistry. And I also look forward to working with Saifoo (Saif Ali Khan) again. I called him Langda Bhaiyya throughout Omkara.

And Rensil is a fantastic writer. It's going to be on right after the Tips movie which I'm shooting in South Africa. Then I go to New York to shoot for Karan- Rensil's film. Neither the Tips film nor Karan's film has a title yet. I am excited about the work I'm doing.

How much of what one reads about you is true?
Some of it is baseless. But some of it might be true. I haven't held any talk about my linkups and affairs against anyone. I laugh them off. Sometimes I get interesting insights into my own life and personality through what's written about me.

Is Viveik Oberoi single?
Absolutely single. I'm not a womanizer. I do flirt. I like verbal flirting. It always backfires. Because if a girl reciprocates I get scared off. Not that I'm afraid of commitment. My resolve to find a soul mate remains unchanged.

I've always been a romantic at heart. I'm waiting for the right person. I'm waiting for an ordinary girl who will make my life extraordinary. I'm high on this drug called life. Every day I wake up thanking God.

Your sister Meghna, what does she do?
She paints. She's doing really well. Her exhibitions are all sold out. I'm really proud of her. She was in two minds about singing and art. She finally chose art.

Your career is not handled by your dad any more?
Correct. For 4-5 years my career hadn't stabilized. Now it has. Dad was just not able to enjoy life because he was busy looking after my career. I felt terrible, like a bad son. I wanted him to relax, play golf instead of fire-fighting for me.

At that time my working pattern was wrong. Now Amit Chandra's Surge Entertainment is looking after my career. But Dad still has the last word. But he has now allowed me to go out in the big bad world. Now I'm happy to see him relax, go out with mom.

Do you still live with your parents?
Yes. It's funny. Twice they bought me a place of my own. In three months I ended up selling my new homes and coming back to my parents. I missed them so much. But I've grown as a humanbeing. Today I'm more sure of who I am. I don't have to try to be anything. By God's grace I continue to do good work for the underprivileged.

How do you know God is a He?
The only She-God in my life is a my mom.

Is the pain all gone?
Long back.

The Mission Istanbul team seemed very unhappy with you?
That's absolute rubbish. I don't know where that perception has come from. Some people believe I was m unhappy with my role. In fact Suniel Shetty called me and said, 'You were great in the film, Tiger. You're rocking in it.' Even the director Apoorva Lakhia called me to say he loved my work.

Apparently you got your valet to sms the producer saying you can't make it for the press conference?
That's completely untrue. I got my partner Amit Chandra to call on my behalf because I couldn't get through from South Africa.

Zayed Khan thinks you're unhappy with your role in Mission Istanbul?
Zayed was away shooting for Blue for a lomg time. When he returned to Mumbai he must've been wrongly influenced by some people. Zayed is a great guy. And we had a great time working together in Istanbul. Unfortunately I've had no time to speak to him and sort it out. I soon will. Once we talk it will be fine.

So you're happy with your role?
Completely. Before Apu gave any other actor the script he gave it to me. He gave me the choice to play whichever role I wanted. I chose Rizvan Khan because it was an awesome role. Accordng to me my character was the film's hero.

My character saves Zayed's life and inspires him It's a very heroic character. I wanted to move to the other side of the morality line after playing the gangster in Apu's Shootout At Lokhandwala. For me it was always Rizwan Khan, and no other character.