On April 1, 2003, actor Vivek Oberoi did the infamous press conference, wherein he uncovered some harsh realities of the Hindi film industry. And now, 20 years later, the conversation around lobbying and bullying in Bollywood has resurfaced, this time courtesy actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who, in a recent interview, said that she was “being pushed into a corner in the industry (Bollywood)” and had “beef with people”.

Recalling how hard it was for him back in the day, Oberoi says, “I went through a lot of stuff that was unnecessary. There were a lot of lobbies and repressive stories — kind of what Priyanka has been alluding to. That’s been a hallmark of our industry. It’s the dark side of Bollywood. And I have been at the receiving end of it.”

The 46-year-old goes on to recall the time when he was out of work despite delivering good performances. “I know how frustrating it could be. It makes one feel exhausted and tired. I remember I’d think, ‘I have just delivered an award-winning, successful performance in Shootout At Lokhandwala (2007) and I’ve been sitting at home for 14 months, not getting any work.’ When I went through that, I thought, I should do something more empowering,” he says, explaining why his focus shifted from acting to “philanthropy and business”.

He adds, “Priyanka’s statement is so inspirational. She went out (of Bollywood) and explored something different. She got out of a rut and something magical happened for her, personally and professionally.”

The Dharavi Bank (2022) actor admits that bullying “can kill young talents at a budding stage”. Calling the industry “a very insecure place”, Oberoi adds, “Whether it’s the #MeToo movement, casting couch or bullying and lobbying — these things take the joy out of creativity. I’m glad they are being spoken about now. There is more decentralization of power.”