When Vivek Oberoi came to Bengaluru on Friday, he said he accepted the role in Rustum only because of Shivarajkumar. He admitted that when he was offered the role by stuntmaster-turned-director Ravi Varma, he had not accepted it, until the director brought up the fact that Shivanna would be playing the hero.
“Shivanna had offered me a role even before I became an actor. At 18, I had visited Bengaluru to meet my mother’s younger sister who lives here. She was a good family friend of Shivanna’s. When he saw me, he commented that I was handsome and wanted to launch me in Kananda. He had wanted me to play his brother’s role in a film in which he was playing the hero. At that moment, I was honoured, but had to decline the offer since I was going to the USA to pursue my masters in films. This time when I was offered a role with him, I couldn’t say no,” says Vivek, who, in fact,
reminded Shivanna of the episode.
Rustum, made under the banner Jayanna Combines also features Shraddha Srinath, Rachita Ramand Mayuri in the cast.