Actor Vivek Oberoi, once hailed as Bollywood’s next big star and the heartthrob of many in the early 2000s following successes like Saathiya, Company, Yuva, and Omkara, has also ventured into the southern industries with films like Lucifer.

The actor recently opened up about a difficult phase his career and personal life after a controversial incident in 2003. At the time, Vivek held a press conference accusing fellow actor Salman Khan of threatening him, sending shockwaves through the film industry and leading to Vivek being ostracised.

Speaking to Prakhar Gupta on his YouTube channel, Vivek recalled how the fallout from the incident saw him boycotted by the industry. “A point came during that time where everyone was boycotting me left and right. No one was ready to work with me, and I was thrown out of the films I had already signed,” he said. He also revealed that he and his family received numerous threatening calls. “These calls were made to my sister, father and mother as well.”

Despite this, Vivek admitted he now looks back on the episode laughingly, though some emotional scars linger. “The things which are difficult to let go are your mother’s expressions and your father’s reaction to the whole incident. I find it difficult to let go of those tears in her eyes.” He added that eventually, he hopes to let go of these memories to avoid negative feelings.

Vivek also spoke about the personal toll the period took on him, admitting he struggled with depression. “Apart from that, my personal life was completely in a mess. I went into depression, and just like any ‘mama’s boy’, I went to my mother and cried a lot. I asked the ‘Why me?’ question a lot.” That was when his mother reminded him if he asked himself the same question during the good times, when he was succeeding professionally.

Losing his childhood sweetheart

In addition to this, Vivek opened up about one of the earliest heartbreaks in his life — the death of his childhood sweetheart from blood cancer when he was just 18. “We fell in love when I was 13, and I was very sure that she was the girl I was going to marry,” he said, recalling how she passed away within three months of her diagnosis. The tragedy left a lasting impact on his emotional life, making him wary of future heartbreaks.

They had been in a relationship for five years when one of her cousins informed Vivek of the devastating news. She had told him that she was unwell but when his calls went unanswered, he finally contacted her relatives.

Upcoming projects

Though his career never quite regained the momentum it once had, Vivek continued acting, appearing in films such as Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), Prince (2010), and Krrish 3 (2013). He is set to appear in Masti 4, the upcoming fourth installment of the popular comedy franchise, alongside Riteish Deshmukh and Aftab Shivdasani. The official teaser is out, though the release date is yet to be announced.