Vivek Oberoi on Dealing With Film Failures And Tough Times: ‘Agar Aap Khud Par Lene Lag Gaye…’

In an exclusive interview with India.com, Vivek Oberoi discussed his approach to dealing with film failures and how he motivates himself during tough times. He also shared memories about Saathiya and the possibility of a remake.

Vivek Oberoi made his Bollywood debut with Ram Gopal Varma’s Company in 2002, instantly rising to fame with his breakthrough performance. Later, he signed Yash Raj and Mani Ratnam’s production Saathiya, where people fell in love with his portrayal of Aditya Sehgal alongside Rani Mukherjee. However, despite a promising start, things didn’t continue smoothly for him. The actor back in the 2000s, delivered impressive performances; however, his career took an unfortunate turn after personal setbacks.

Vivek Oberoi on Staying Strong Despite Industry Challenges

Vivek revealed that every actor experiences ups and downs in their career. He admitted that when his films weren’t doing well, he had a specific approach to handle those challenging times. In an exclusive interview with India.com, the actor shared, “My father taught me this ki beta when you become successful, when you get success, enjoy and move on. When you get a failure reflect, kyun fail hua, move on. Don’t stay in success as well as don’t stay in failure, because life is about moving forward.”

He further added, “Unhone mujhe bahut achi baat kahi ki jab ek picture succeed hoti hai toh ek attempt aapki successful hota hai. Jab ek picture fail hui hai, toh ek attempt fail hua hai. Agar aap khud par lene lagaye ki I am a success, or I am a failure ya toh aap success main ya toh failure main aatak jaoge. Simple, that’s life, move on.” (He told me something very insightful: when a film succeeds, it’s just the film that is successful. When a film fails, it’s just an attempt that failed. If you start taking it personally, thinking “I am a success” or “I am a failure,” you will get stuck in either your success or your failure. It’s simple, that’s life-move on.)

During a press conference in 2003, Vivek accused Salman Khan of threatening him, because of his relationship with Aishwarya Rai, who had experienced a messy breakup with Salman. Oberoi openly revealed Khan used to threaten him by calling him multiple times. 20 years after the infamous press conference, Vivek has indicated that his career suffered as a result of the industry’s lobbying and bullying. The actor has discussed in several interviews that how lobbying within the Hindi film Industry did impact his career. However, rather than giving up, he ventured into other business projects to maintain his financial stability.

Vivek Oberoi Shares Saathiya Memories

Vivek also reminisced about his iconic film Saathiya. In the movie, he captivated audiences with his charming lover boy character. However, the actor disclosed that he was advised to turn down the film. He said, “My mentors and advisors all said, why are you doing this film? Don’t do it. You’re making such a big film Company, it’s your debut, you’re coming with acting hero Ajay Devgn, and Ram Gopal Varma, the legendary filmmaker, is launching you. Why are you doing this small film?”

Oberoi revealed that Saathiya was a risk he took that truly paid off. He added, “Rani Mukherjee, who I think is one of the best actresses in India, wasn’t doing well at the time. She hadn’t been shooting for a year, and not many of her films had done well. Filmmaker Shaad Ali was a newcomer, so everyone asked, what is this small film? Why are you doing it? But I just felt that soul of this film was wonderful, and it paid off. Sometimes, you have to take risks in life.” The actor also expressed that if a remake of Saathiya were to be made, he would definitely want Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt to play the lead roles.

Vivek garnered acclaim for his role in the 2006 film Omkara, where he played a supporting role that left a strong impact. His performance in Shootout at Lokhandwala, which hit the big screens in 2007, was also well-received. Oberoi was last seen as a cop in Rohit Shetty’s debut web series Indian Police Force, part of his expansive “cop universe.” The series also features Sidharth Malhotra and Shilpa Shetty in pivotal roles.

Next, the actor will be seen being part of the fourth installment of the popular franchise Masti. The film will see Vivek Oberoi, Riteish Deshmukh, and Aftab Shivdasani reuniting for the fourth time.