In an exclusive interview, Vivek Oberoi spoke about facing lobbies in the Hindi film industry and how he refused to bow down to them, and chose to become an entrepreneur by profession and an actor by passion.
Actor Vivek Oberoi burst onto the screen with films like Company and Saathiya. Establishing himself as an actor who can play the role of a neighbour boy and a dreaded gangster with the same ease, it seemed the actor was here to stay, but things can be fleeting in Bollywood despite talent and hard work. The actor faced a dull phase despite his films being successful and had to sit at home for long periods. However, Vivek always had his plan B ready.
Twenty-two years later, Vivek is a successful entrepreneur who runs multiple businesses across different industries, which he juggles with his film career. He lives in Dubai and still keeps his passion for acting alive. In an exclusive chat with Screen, the actor reminisced his journey and his chocolate boy era and also revealed how he had to go into business to counter the efforts of a lobby that existed within the industry.
Talking about facing organised efforts against him in the Hindi film industry, Vivek shared, “I have done around 67 projects in 22 years, but the industry is a very insecure place. You can perform well, win awards and do your job as an actor, but at the same time, you may not get any work for other reasons.
After 2007 when I did Shootout at Lokhandwala, the song Ganpat went viral, I won awards, so I was expecting a lot of offers, but I didn’t get any. I sat at home for 14 to 15 months after the success of the film. It was only around 2009 that I decided that I didn’t want to be completely dependent on it, but rather build my own economic independence.
I didn’t want to be in a situation where a lobby can decide your future. Someone can force you to do something because they control things.” Stating that getting into business gave him the independence he always needed, Vivek also said, “Business was always a plan B, and I decided cinema would be my passion. My livelihood should be my business, which helped me earn my independence and get out of that whole trap of lobbies, or selling your soul or flattering someone which is not a good way to live, at least for me. Some people make a livelihood out of this but it’s not like that for me.”
Currently, Vivek has three films in the pipeline and is promoting his firm Solatrio which sells lab-grown diamond jewellery. But sharing the one lesson he has learnt during his 22-year-long journey in Bollywood, the actor says, “I used to stress about a lot of things, take a lot of stress, it wasn’t worth it. Life finds its own way of sorting it out, there is a score of karma – you do good, you will get retribution for that; if you do bad, you will get retribution for that too.
A person may look very successful and important, but inside he may be empty, sad and lonely, that is his score. Life is about choices, even today if you choose good, your life will start changing from tomorrow. It is us who do nothing and then we blame god and fate. It is like we have become human beings and not just humans.” He also added, “I am at that age and stage in my life where money, fame, success, glory are something that I have seen enough of. So it is not life changing anymore.”
Sharing further updates on his professional front, Vivek said, “On the business front, I am going to take Solitario public early next year, I want to go global with it.
On the film front, I have signed three films, the first one is Masti 4. I am having a lot of fun with me, Ritesh, Aftab and Induji, Milap Zaveri is directing it. It has been 20 years since the first film, a lot of friends are coming together. We are shooting in March or April, so I think it should release in 2025. The other 2 have not been announced yet, but I am excited about them.”
