Vivek
Dahiya
Was
A
Compulsive
Gambler
Vivek
was
quoted
by
TOI
as
saying,
"I
got
addicted
to
gambling
in
2006,
when
I
was
barely
19
years
old.
I
had
started
working
part-time
at
a
retail
store
while
I
was
in
the
second
year
of
college.
One
day,
a
friend
took
me
to
a
casino,
and
call
it
the
beginner's
luck
or
something
else,
I
won
money
that
day.
I
was
thrilled,
as
it
would
have
taken
me
a
week
to
earn
that
amount."
Vivek
Would
Bet
His
Entire
Month’s
Salary
"Soon,
I
started
visiting
the
casino
regularly
after
work.
A
few
staff
members,
who
I
had
befriended,
suggested
that
I
should
get
rid
of
the
vice,
but
I
didn't
pay
heed.
I
became
a
compulsive
gambler
and
there
were
times
when
I
would
bet
my
month's
salary.
Once,
I
even
offered
my
car
keys
to
someone
in
return
for
some
money
for
gambling."
Cabbie’s
Story
Changed
Vivek’s
Life
The
actor
revealed
that
a
conversation
with
a
taxi
driver
changed
his
life.
He
added,
"One
night,
I
had
lost
a
lot
of
money
and
was
left
with
just
five
pounds
to
catch
a
cab
home.
The
cabbie,
a
Bangladeshi,
asked
me
how
the
night
was,
referring
to
my
visit
to
the
casino.
Since
I
wasn't
in
the
right
frame
of
mind,
I
didn't
want
to
talk
to
anyone.
And
then,
he
narrated
his
story
to
me."
The
Actor
Says…
"He
was
an
uneducated
man,
who
relocated
from
Dhaka
years
ago.
He
saved
up
enough
money
to
buy
a
cab
and
got
married
to
an
Indian
girl.
He
was
hard-working,
and
in
a
few
years,
became
the
owner
of
seven
taxis.
He
also
bought
two
houses
in
Cardiff.
However,
on
one
fateful
evening,
his
friend
took
him
to
a
casino
and
his
life
went
downhill
since
then.
He
became
addicted
to
gambling
and
lost
everything.
He
became
bankrupt
and
his
wife
left
him
along
with
his
two
kids.
His
story
did
what
no
advice
could
do;
that
was
the
last
day
I
went
to
a
casino."
‘Any
Kind
Of
Addiction
Is
Destructive’
The
Qayamat
Ki
Raat
actor
added,
"Any
kind
of
addiction
is
destructive.
You
start
alienating
those
who
try
to
dissuade
you
from
it.
You
don't
even
realise
when
it
starts
to
consume
you.
I
want
to
tell
every
youngster
who
is
addicted
-
to
gambling,
drugs,
whatever
-
to
seek
help,
and
not
be
in
denial.
People
resort
to
all
sorts
of
unethical
things
to
quench
their
addiction.
It's
a
vicious
cycle."
Even
Now
Vivek
Visits
Casinos!
The
actor
reveals
that
he
visits
casinos
even
now,
but
for
a
short
while.
He
says,
"When
I
visit
a
casino
now,
I
will
have
my
drink,
chat
with
my
wife,
and
play
a
bit.
I
know
where
to
draw
the
line.
Now,
I
do
it
just
to
enjoy
myself
for
a
short
while."