Before achieving stardom and amassing a staggering net worth of Rs 1,200 crore, Vivek Oberoi embarked on a journey of deliberate struggle, consciously hiding his privileged background as the son of veteran actor Suresh Oberoi. In a recent candid conversation, the actor shared remarkable stories from his early days, including his time working as an assistant to renowned choreographer and director Farah Khan.
The Humble Beginnings: A Star Kid in Disguise
Long before his acclaimed debut in the 2002 crime thriller Company, Vivek Oberoi was determined to learn the film industry from the ground up. He chose to train under Farah Khan, but with one crucial condition: he would not leverage his father's identity. "To train, I used to assist Farah for a long time," Vivek recalled during his interaction with Mashable India. "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."
This conscious decision to conceal his film family lineage allowed him to experience the raw, unfiltered reality of building a career in Bollywood, an experience that shaped his work ethic and perspective.
A Brush with Death on the Road
The actor's journey was not without its perils. Vivek Oberoi vividly recounted a near-fatal accident that occurred while he was travelling for the shoot of the film Road. The incident happened as he was driving from Bikaner to Jaisalmer at night. "I had warned the driver 10-15 times to drive slowly because it is night time and visibility is low," he shared.
He was sitting in the front passenger seat but had reclined it, a decision that ultimately saved his life. "Suddenly a huge crash happened. There was a massive sound," he described. A camel cart carrying iron rods had suddenly appeared on the road. The rods smashed through the windshield and penetrated the car's interior. "If I would not have reclined my seat, those iron rods would have just gone through me," he stated. Miraculously, he was left unscathed, though trapped in the car with the rods suspended above his head. The traumatic event led him to vow never to travel at night again.
Promoting Masti 4 and Recalling Classic Pranks
Currently, the actor is busy promoting the upcoming comedy Masti 4, which reunites him with co-stars Aftab Shivdasani and Riteish Deshmukh. The promotion sparked a nostalgic memory from the shooting of the first Masti film back in 2004.
Vivek fondly recalled pulling an elaborate prank on Aftab Shivdasani. "Aftab had bought his new Mercedes when we were shooting for Masti aur hum logo ne bakra kia tha iska (and we made him the victim)," he laughed. The mischievous team stole Aftab's car keys and relocated his prized Mercedes two lanes away from its original parking spot. After quietly returning the keys, they watched as a panicked Aftab discovered his car was missing. "His expressions… his blood pressure just dropped," Vivek reminisced. The prank was so effective that Aftab immediately pleaded with them to never joke about his car again.
From a determined assistant who cleaned rooms to a successful actor with a massive net worth, Vivek Oberoi's career is a testament to grit, humility, and a willingness to start from scratch, proving that true success is often built from the ground up.
