Vivek Oberoi's cousin Akshay Oberoi makes his B-Town debut this Friday with Rajshri Productions' Isi Life Mein.
The normally voluble Vivek has been oddly silent on the debut of his first cousin's film. Not even an encouraging tweet for the newbie!
A source close to Akshay spills the beans, "Akshay is Suresh Oberoi's younger brother, Krishn's son. The brothers never got along and the two families share cold vibes.
Which was not a problem as Krishn, a businessman, lived in the US and moved to Mumbai only a few years ago."
No acknowledgement
Though no one knows why things soured between the brothers, it is obvious that the Oberoi parivaar, who've been part of B-Town for decades, haven't offered any sort of help one of their own. Vivek hasn't even acknowledged the 'brotherhood.'
Akshay didn't get any help from his star bhai even when he first came from US and was doing the rounds of producer's offices.
A word from Vivek or Oberoi Sr would've opened many doors for him. Adds a family friend, "VO's refusal to acknowledge Akshay disturbed the newcomer deeply but he chooses not to bring up the connection. He is all the more determined to make it on his own."
When quizzed, Akshay is tight-lipped about his family ties with the Oberois. "Suresh uncle is my tauji. It's a normal family where we have fights and good and bad times.
We lead separate lives. Since dad was in USA and we had been travelling a lot, we didn't interact much with each other. In Mumbai, too, there's hardly time to interact socially."
When asked if he attended Vivek's wedding in Bangalore, he adds, "I couldn't attend as I was doing promotional stuff for Isi Life Mein (promotions hadn't started then) but I was present at the Mumbai reception.
I am not hurt that Vivek hasn't mentioned me as his cousin anywhere. I had to struggle a lot for more than a year when I entered the film industry and that struggle has made me tougher.
I realise the importance and value of getting things done on my own. I take his ignoring me positively. This way, I will never take my work for granted."
