Vivek Oberoi takes part in a puja for the tsunami victims at a relief camp in a fishing village near Cuddalore on Jan. 1. (Photo: AFP)

CUDDALORE, Tamil Nadu : Bollywood star Vivek Oberoi, doing his bit to help survivors of the tsunami disaster, has promised to adopt a small fishing hamlet on Tamil Nadu’s coast.

The Thevanapattinam hamlet here was one of the worst hit segments on the east coast.

Oberoi, along with his parents and the family’s spiritual guru, Swami Chidanand Saraswathi, toured the hamlet on Jan. 1.

The hamlet of nearly 4,000 people has been without water and electricity since Dec. 26.

The actor, who has a smattering of Tamil, told the residents that he would do all he could to help them. Swami Chidanand held a prayer meet at the hamlet.

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister C. Ponnaiyan said Vivek and his family visited the area following a request from the local administration.

Meanwhile, the Tamil film industry, actors Vijaykanth, Kamal Haasan, Shalini and Ajit and several others have contributed towards tsunami relief in kind and cash.

Film music director Ilaiyaraja’s house on the beachfront was damaged by the tsunami.

Ajit and Shalini, who have a beach house on the Valmiki Nagar coast in south Chennai, said it was safe. “Whatever we can contribute is in thanksgiving,” they said.