Vivek Oberoi shared a story about an encounter with an old man, whose existence he questioned, during his time in southern India. This incident occurred while he was involved in relief work following the 2004 tsunami. At that time, he was facing personal and professional challenges, and his mother advised him to focus on helping others as a way to cope.
During his appearance on Dr. Jai Madaan’s YouTube channel, Vivek reflected on his spiritual experiences during his time in southern India for relief work after the 2004 tsunami. He recounted, “There is a famous temple there. I had a very unique experience. I was very worried, mentally. I had issues… I pitched a tent among the survivors and stayed with them. I even picked up a little Tamil. Somebody told me to visit the temple; I did. I met an old man with a white beard there. He was wearing only a dhoti. He called me over.”
The actor further added, “He started speaking to me in highly polished English. I was confused, because he was sitting at the corner of the temple with nothing on his back. He made me sit next to him, and he looked at my face. He said, ‘You’re very worried, you’re going through a period of misfortune, and that’s why you were sent here to this temple. You were going to face a big financial loss, but you’re blessed. The money you were about to lose, you spent on relief work here. This is your karma, and you will reap the benefits’.”
After receiving some instructions from the old man, Vivek returned to find that he had vanished. “I asked everyone, the watchman and other people, where the old man went. They said, ‘Which old man? Nobody was here. It’s empty.’ I was stunned,” he shared. Vivek expressed uncertainty about the man’s reality, stating, “To me, he’s like God.” He also mentioned that he is now involved in significant real estate deals worth thousands of crores.
Oberoi recounted another significant experience from his time in southern India. After visiting a temple and asking for an opportunity to serve, he was approached by a man who informed him about a child prostitution ring. Following this lead, Vivek investigated and discovered several girls who had been kept prisoner in a small room. “I felt a rage,” he expressed, noting that this harrowing experience motivated him to establish a foundation dedicated to addressing such social issues.
