Actor Vivek Oberoi was one of the most loved and rising stars of the 2000s. However, it was one press conference in 2003 that allegedly changed things for him. In a recent podcast on Relearn, the actor spoke about the biggest controversy of his career and shared how he experienced hell during that time.
Without taking any names, Vivek Oberoi revisited the controversy and said, “It was a very dark phase in my life. I tried to stand up for something. I came from the thought process that there’s a certain line you don’t cross. Women have to be respected and treated a certain way. I stood up to what I perceived was wrong, and I started being bullied a lot. Despite delivering successes, hits, and awards, a very powerful lobby took over. I became persona
non grata. I would have people pulling out of films I had signed.”
Recalling how things ‘snowballed and just got worse’ for him, Vivek alleged that he got calls from the underworld. The actor said, “Those who decided to stick by me for ethical reasons would suddenly call me a few weeks later and say, ‘listen man, I got a call from the underworld. I had gangsters calling me, saying that, you film with this guy and you’re done; you’re toast.’ I went through real hell, real misery. I didn’t get the work not because I wasn’t able to deliver. It wasn’t based on talent. It wasn’t based on performance. It wasn’t based on work ethic. It was based on something that I couldn’t control.”
About Vivek Oberoi’s Professional Front
On the professional front, Vivek Oberoi made his Bollywood debut with Company, earning critical acclaim for his performance. He went on to showcase his acting prowess in films like Saathiya, Yuva and many more.
Now, the actor is enjoying the success of Nitesh Tiwari’s magnum opus Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor, Sai Pallavi and others. Vivek Oberoi plays Vidyutjihva in Nitesh Tiwari’s film Ramayana: Rise of a Legend. He is a demon prince from the Kalakeya clan and the husband of Shurpanakha (played by Rakul Preet Singh), making him Ravana’s brother-in-law.
