Instead of ringing in his 33rd year with parties, Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi chose to spend his birthday Thursday at an ashram here and with cancer patients, says a source close to the actor.

"There is no party, no dinner, no celebration that has been planned by Vivek for his birthday. Every year on his birthday, he visits Barbhaya ashram here and later he visits some cancer patients, most of them are kids, " the source told.

The actor, who became popular with Ram Gopal Varma's "Company" and Shaad Ali's "Saathiya", was apparently busy buying gifts for the kids Wednesday evening.

"He himself goes out and buys small gifts for the kids. He spends about two to three hours with them and it gives him a lot of joy, " the source added.

Vivek has been off the Bollywood radar for quite sometime now. But he is ready to jump back into action with Karan Johar's "Qurbaan", which stars Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. He will also be seen in Tips' "Prince", in which he has performed death defying stunts and is being touted as his most ambitious movie ever.

He will also start shooting for Varma's pet project "Rakta Charitra" from Sep 25.