Vivek Oberoi says he decided to build his economic independence in 2009, not depend on a lobby to influence his future

That’s when he thought of putting plan B, business, into action: “I decided cinema would be my passion, but my livelihood should be my business. That 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.”

Recalling his early days in Bollywood, Vivek Oberoi shared how director Ram Gopal Varma rejected him for his debut film Company (2002). Oberoi has always believed in bagging roles on merit instead of through industry connections, which is why he once rejected a rare opportunity. He says, “When my father wanted to launch me, I had a crisis of conscience. I didn’t want him to invest the money to launch me… He was worried, but he respected me as a man that day. My father was making a film for me with (director) Abbas Mastan and I walked away from that opportunity. I struggled for 18 months after that and faced a lot of rejection, but I am proud of that choice.”

Also Read | Vivek Oberoi says he vowed to stay single forever after facing heartbreak: ‘When you are innocent but end up being used, abused’

Today, Oberoi juggles various businesses and lives in Dubai, having most recently launched a lab-grown diamond startup Solitario. On the film front, after starring as Joint Police Commissioner Vikram Bakshi in the Amazon Prime Video series Indian Police Force, he has started shooting for Masti 4, the latest in Indra Kumar’s sex comedy series. He has two more unannounced films in the pipeline.