'I Was In Real Misery': Vivek Oberoi Opens Up About Bollywood Boycott And Underworld Calls

Actor Vivek Oberoi has revisited one of the most difficult phases of his career, claiming that he faced professional isolation after a controversy in 2003. Speaking on the Relearn podcast, the actor recalled how filmmakers who had signed him for projects allegedly began withdrawing from them. He also claimed that some industry members who wanted to continue working with him received calls from the underworld, warning them against associating with him. Vivek, who had delivered successful films such as Company and Saathiya early in his career, described the period as one of intense personal and professional distress.

Vivek Oberoi Recalls Bollywood Boycott

During his conversation on the Relearn podcast, Vivek was asked about the controversy that unfolded when his career was gaining momentum in the early 2000s. Without naming anyone or discussing the incident in detail, he described the experience as a particularly difficult period.

He said, “It was a very dark phase in my life. I tried to stand up for something. I came from the thought process that there’s a certain line you don’t cross. Women have to be respected and treated a certain way. I stood up to what I perceived was wrong, and I started being bullied a lot. Despite delivering successes, hits, and awards, a very powerful lobby took over. I became persona non grata. I would have people pulling out of films I had signed.”

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The actor claimed that the situation continued to deteriorate, with filmmakers withdrawing from projects despite his earlier successes. He also alleged that people who initially supported him later received threats.

Recalling what some of them told him, Vivek said, “Those who decided to stick by me for ethical reasons would suddenly call me a few weeks later and say, listen man, I got a call from the underworld. I had gangsters calling me, saying, ' You film with this guy and you’re done; you’re toast. I went through real hell, real misery. I didn’t get the work not because I wasn’t able to deliver. It wasn’t based on talent. It wasn’t based on performance. It wasn’t based on work ethic. It was based on something that I couldn’t control.”

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Vivek Oberoi's Film Career After The Controversy

Vivek had established himself with performances in films such as Company and Saathiya. However, his career witnessed several ups and downs in the years that followed. He later explored darker and morally complex characters in projects including Krrish 3, Vivegam, and Lucifer.

In 2025, he appeared in Kesari Veer and Masti 4. He also featured in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana: Part 1, released in 2026, playing Vidyutjihva, the husband of Surpanakha and brother-in-law of Ravana. The actor is also part of the upcoming film Spirit, directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Starring Prabhas and Triptii Dimri in the lead roles, the film is scheduled for release next year.

Vivek Oberoi Looks Ahead

Despite the setbacks he described, Vivek has continued to work across film industries and take on varied roles. His recent podcast appearance has brought renewed attention to the professional difficulties he says he experienced following the 2003 controversy. His claims about alleged underworld threats and filmmakers distancing themselves from him offer his account of that period.