The Hindi film industry is under the scanner for all the wrong reasons and has been called out for being a place which thrives on lobbying other than talent. For actor Vivek Oberoi, the recent turn of events has not been surprising, and he says he has faced it firsthand.

“There always has been a lobby, people abusing their power. I have been a victim. The lobby has a massive influence and they have used it to benefit themselves, rather than creating a democratic place where talent blossoms,” says Oberoi.

The 44-year-old notes that the situation in the ’60s and ’70s was very different from what it has become now. Back then it was all about talent. “I have seen the time from being offered all these choices, to people saying to ‘Sorry man, I can’t work with you because XYZ asked us not to’.”

Oberoi believes that people on the receiving end have had enough which is why they are raising their voices. “I stood up against this, and I didn’t get any support. But I was ahead of the time, and I paid the price for it,” he says.

Calling the experiences that he has had as plain bullying, the actor explains, “Post that, I decided that the best way to live my life was to insulate myself from all this. When you are bullied, you either become a bully or you become a protector, your nature changes. I took the latter approach.”