Actor Vivek Oberoi recently shared that he felt stuck in Bollywood after working there for over 20 years. He said the lack of meaningful work and true teamwork in the film industry pushed him to explore other opportunities. That’s when he turned to business, which he now says is his main source of income.
In an interview, Vivek explained, “I realised I was just going in circles in the industry. It didn’t feel fulfilling. I enjoyed working with some people, but real collaboration should be about giving and receiving equally.”
Business Roots from His Father
Vivek said his business journey actually began in childhood. His father, veteran actor Suresh Oberoi, used to give him items like perfumes or electronics to sell door-to-door when he was just 9 or 10 years old. After the sales, Vivek had to show his ‘khata book’ (account book) and only got to keep the profit, while the cost went back to his father. This early experience taught him how business works.
Managing 12 Companies, Two Going Public
Today, Vivek is actively involved in 12 companies. Two of them are preparing to go public (IPO). In just the last year, he helped raise nearly $1 billion (₹8,500 crore) for his ventures. His current net worth is estimated to be around ₹1,200 crore.
He said, “I’m not afraid of big capital. But what’s more important is how you use that money and how you grow. You need to combine Silicon Valley’s innovation with a Marwari (traditional Indian business) mindset.”
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Adding a Desi Twist to Business
Vivek joked that just like Bollywood adds an Indian touch (“desi tadka”) to international films, Indian entrepreneurs should do the same in business. He believes this approach can make a big difference.
His shift to business came when he realised it was better to stop struggling in a place that wasn’t growing and instead create his own path. “It was either fall into negativity or stop trying to open a closed door and build my own instead,” he said.
Vivek Oberoi moved from acting to entrepreneurship after feeling stuck in Bollywood. He used childhood lessons from his father to build successful businesses, raised $1 billion in a year, and now runs multiple companies, two of which will soon go public.
