Once Touted As The Next SRK, Actor Declined Hit Films, Resulting In Career Downfall
His entry into the film industry with Ram Gopal Varma’s Company in 2002 fulfilled his lifelong aspiration. Despite being new to the scene, he showed remarkable skill, and the movie catapulted him to fame in Bollywood.
Although he began his Bollywood journey with great promise, Vivek Oberoi faced challenges along the way. Today, we'll explore his trajectory in the film industry, marked by a strong debut but difficulties in sustaining his success over time.
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Vivek Oberoi’s breakthrough roles
Following his debut with Ram Gopal Varma, Vivek Oberoi gained prominence for his compelling performance as Aditya Sehgal in the romantic drama Saathiya, starring alongside Rani Mukerji. Prior to his breakthrough role, the actor had worked as a scriptwriter, and this film proved to be a pivotal moment in shaping his career path.
Vivek Oberoi is widely recognized for his notable performances in films such as Yuva, Omkara, Shootout at Lokhandwala, Krrish 3, and Kurbaan. Particularly, he received praise for his portrayal of antagonistic characters in Vivegam and Lucifer, earning him critical acclaim.
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According to a reports, Vivek Oberoi was offered the role in Munna Bhai MBBS following his success in the film Company. He even participated in workshops for the movie. However, he had to withdraw from the project just a few days before its release. He expressed his desire to be a part of Munna Bhai, stating, "I wanted to do 'Munna Bhai,' I said yes to it, but destiny had it that it was supposed to be a Sanjay Dutt film. I couldn’t adjust my dates."
The report further noted that Farah Khan extended an offer to Vivek Oberoi for the antagonist role in her 2007 blockbuster Om Shanti Om, featuring Shah Rukh Khan and debutant Deepika Padukone. However, he declined the role as he wished to steer away from portraying negative characters again after Company. Consequently, the role was eventually taken on by Arjun Rampal.
Apart from Munna Bhai MBBS and Om Shanti Om, Vivek Oberoi also passed on opportunities to star in Farhan Akhtar’s Rock On, Shaad Ali’s Bunty aur Babli, and Kunal Kohli’s Hum Tum. Despite their commercial success and critical acclaim, Oberoi opted out of these projects.
In his most recent project, Vivek Oberoi appeared in Rohit Shetty’s Indian Police Force series alongside Sidharth Malhotra and Shilpa Shetty Kundra. His portrayal of Inspector Vikram in the series was notable for adding depth to the show.
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