Vivek Oberoi, known for his performances in films like Saathiya and Company, faced a challenging phase in his Bollywood career despite delivering box office hits. After the success of Shootout at Lokhandwala, Vivek found himself without work for over a year, which led him to pursue his Plan B—becoming a businessman.
In a conversation with SCREEN, Vivek opened up about switching to business to counter the impact of an industry lobby. Reflecting on his struggles, he shared that after the success of Shootout at Lokhandwala, he didn’t receive any work for 14 to 15 months, prompting his decision to seek financial independence outside the film industry.
Vivek Oberoi 15-Month Work Drought
He said, “I have done about 67 projects in 22 years, but the industry is a very insecure place. You could be performing well, winning awards, and doing your job as an actor, but at the same time, you can get no work for other reasons. After 2007 when I did Shootout At Lokhandwala, the Ganpat song went viral, I won awards, so I expected a lot of offers, but I didn’t get any.”
He continued, “I sat at home for 14 to 15 months after the success of the film. It was only around the 2009 mark when I decided I didn’t want to be completely dependent on this but build my economic independence. I didn’t want to be in a situation where a lobby could decide your future. Somebody could bully you into doing something because they controlled things.”
Vivek Oberoi on His Decision to Become a Businessman
Vivek also discussed his choice to pursue business as a backup plan, emphasizing how it allowed him to gain financial freedom. He said, “Business was always a Plan B, and I decided cinema will 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 having to sell your soul or suck up to somebody that is no great way to live at least for me. Some people make a living out of it but for me, that’s not the case.”
Recently, Vivek appeared in Rohit Shetty’s debut web series Indian Police Force, co-starring Shilpa Shetty, Sidharth Malhotra, Sharad Kelkar, and Shweta Tiwari. He will next be seen in Masti 4 alongside Riteish Deshmukh and Aftab Shivdasani.
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