Indian star reinvents self and Bollywood after tsunami

The tall, lean actor with boyish good looks, however, sped to help villagers in one of the worst affected areas of Tamil Nadu state on the Indian mainland and that has won him — and Bollywood — respect as a potent source of fund raising in one of the poorest nations in the world.

Oberoi’s quick action seemed to spur other actors in Bollywood, a name given to the unique blend of musical fantasy and star-driven films produced in Bombay with arguably the biggest star, Shah Rukh Khan, gathering 10 million rupees (US$227,000) from colleagues to give to the prime minister’s relief fund.

Now other Bollywood luminaries are making it a point to donate funds, join relief work crews, and show concern for the thousands who died and tens of thousands homeless by calling on fans to help as well.

For instance, Bollywood’s top 15 singers will come together this weekend to record a benefit song for India’s thousands of tsunami victims and donate the earnings to charity.

Noted lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar has penned a new song “Zindagi Pukaarti Hai” (Life Beckons), which he said would be recorded in Bombay and performed live at a movie awards function on Tuesday this week.

Oberoi said he decided to help the tsunami survivors after he saw “disturbing images” on television.

Three days after the wall of water came crashing down on Dec. 26, Oberoi’s family arrived in the southern state and was told by the government authorities to volunteer their help for Devanampattinam village.

“As I hit the village I saw the scale of destruction. It was unlike watching or acting in movies. It was a life-changing experience,” he said.

Wearing a black shirt and trousers Oberoi, walks barefoot through his “adopted” southern village where the tsunamis killed 81 people. He picks up small kids at random, hugs them, carries them on his arms and plays with them.

The villagers look at him in awe and treat him with respect after he and his family promised to build temporary thatched coconut-roof shelters, organized volunteers and medical camps and even a playground for kids.

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