Entertainment · Indian Cinema · 1 day ago
Vivek Oberoi says underworld threats cost him film roles
Actor Vivek Oberoi says threats kept filmmakers from casting him during a difficult period in his career.
In a recent interview with the YouTube channel Relearn, he said people who had agreed to work with him later backed out after receiving calls from underworld gangsters.
He said the callers warned filmmakers against working with him, putting their own and their families’ safety at risk.
Oberoi linked the backlash to a 2003 press conference in which he criticised Salman Khan over calls to Aishwarya Rai, though he did not name anyone as responsible for the threats.
He said the loss of roles was not about his talent or performance, but about circumstances beyond his control.
He described feeling anger, self-hate and humiliation, and said he began drinking heavily during that period.
The threats and lost opportunities damaged his career and well-being, and he later turned to business for greater independence; no further developments are described.
Vivek Oberoi says underworld threats led filmmakers to drop him from films after a 2003 controversy.
The actor made the claims on the Relearn podcast, recalling a period when he felt bullied and ostracised.
He said people who had agreed to work with him later told him they had received calls warning them not to cast him.
Oberoi said the loss of work was not due to his talent or performance, but to circumstances he could not control.
The articles report that he did not name the people or groups he believed were behind the pressure.
- Who
- Actor Vivek Oberoi says filmmakers received threats against casting him.
- What
- Oberoi alleges that underworld calls cost him film roles and left him ostracised in Bollywood.
- When
- The controversy followed a 2003 press conference. He discussed it on a recent Relearn podcast.
- Where
- Bollywood and the Indian film industry.
- Why
- Oberoi said he stood up for what he perceived as wrong. He linked the resulting pressure to a powerful lobby and underworld threats.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Oberoi held a press conference that the articles describe as preceding a controversy and a change in his career.
Oberoi says filmmakers who had planned to cast him pulled out and some told him they had received underworld threats.
Oberoi recalled feeling bullied and said threats had cost him work.
- Actor
- Vivek Oberoi
- Podcast
- Relearn
- Press conference
- 2003
- Threats
- Oberoi says filmmakers received calls from the underworld warning them not to cast him
- Film roles
- Oberoi says people pulled out of films he had signed
- Reported outlet dates
- Indian Express: November 6, 2026; News18 and Hindustan Times: November 7, 2026
3 sources
'I Went Through Real Hell': Vivek Oberoi Recalls Filmmakers Getting Calls From Underworld To Not Cast Him
Vivek Oberoi recalls being ostracised from Bollywood for standing up against what he perceived as wrong; says filmmakers got calls from underworld
Vivek Oberoi was in ‘real hell’ after a ‘powerful lobby’ in Bollywood ostracised him
What people are saying
I became persona non grata. I would have people pulling out of films I had signed.
I had gangsters calling me, saying that, you film with this guy and you’re done; you’re toast.
A very powerful lobby kind of just took over and I became persona non grata.
It was based on something that I couldn’t control.