In a recent interview with Mashable India, actor Vivek Oberoi revealed how he stepped into the glitzy world of Bollywood and it is far less glamorous than one might expect. The son of veteran actor Suresh Oberoi, who was a well-known face during the 80s and 90s and a National Film Award winner, Vivek is a certified thespian in his own right but his first job in the industry was as an assistant to film maker Farah Khan.
Few knew about this as he took the pains to hide his identity and background while he trained under her. He dedicated himself to his work, taking on the most unlikely of tasks and in doing so, gained the respect of the cast and crew on set. As he opened up about this lesser-known chapter about his life, fans were given a look into the actor’s headspace during this time.
An experience to instill discipline and respect
As an assistant to one of the most sought-after film makers of the 2000s, Vivek Oberoi had a daunting job ahead of him that he pursued with a single-minded focus. He undertook every task that was assigned to him, whether it was getting involved in the craft of movie making or the most menial of chores. He even swept rehearsal spaces and served refreshments to dancers, claiming that it instilled in him a respect for the craft and a sense of discipline.
Speaking to Mashable India he said, “To train, I used to assist Farah for a long time. I started from cleaning the rehearsal rooms and bringing tea to all the dancers, and from there I went up. I never told anybody who my dad was. I kept that out.” He went on to explain that his decision behind starting from scratch was fuelled by the belief that humility and hard work would teach him more in life than privilege ever could. Apart from sharing about his early career struggles, Oberoi also shared light-hearted anecdotes from the 2000s about his co-stars at the time.
Vivek Oberoi’s career speaks for himself
Going from being an assistant to Farah Khan to establishing himself as a leading man in Bollywood through the 2000s, speaks to Vivek Oberoi’s work ethic and career more than words ever could. He starred in several hits through the first decade of the 2000s with movies like Saathiya, Shootout at Lokhandwala, Masti, Company, Krish 3, Kurbaan and Omkara under his belt. He will be seen next in Masti 4, the latest instalment in the Masti franchise with a release date of November 21 2025.
The movie will retain the original cast of Riteish Deskmukh, Oberoi and Aftab Shivdasani and will be directed by Milaap Zaveri. Elnaaz Norouzi, Ruhii Singh and Shreya Sharma are also starring in the film with special appearances from Nargis Fakhri, Arshad Warsi and Genelia D’Souza Deshmukh.