Vivek Oberoi recently shared insights into his decision to choose the gritty gangster drama Shootout at Lokhandwala over Farah Khan‘s blockbuster Om Shanti Omwhich starred Shah Rukh Khan and marked Deepika Padukone’s debut. Vivek also reminisced about working with SRK in his 2002 hit film Saathiya.
In an interview with MensXP, Vivek explained that scheduling conflicts and the nature of the roles led him to prioritize Shootout at Lokhandwala. “It was an either or because the dates were also clashing, and both were negative roles. I liked my role (in Shootout at Lokhandwala). Moreover, by the time Farah approached me for the role, I had already started doing my whole research for the character. I had met cops, read his crime files, started visualising the character. I had already done 4-5 months prep for that role. Then, at that point, suddenly switching gears and going in a suave suit would have been difficult. But, I am glad Arjun (Rampal) did it and he did a great job.”
However, Vivek admitted that under different circumstances, he would have loved to be part of Om Shanti Om. “If it was a different situation, I would have definitely said yes. Why not? If I had time to do both, I would have wanted to do Om Shanti Om. Farah made a superb film. It’s always amazing to work with Shah bhai. In my entire career, I have had the fun and opportunity of just doing a few nights of shooting together (with SRK) on Saathiya, where he was so kind to play a guest appearance in the film,” he shared.
Directed by Farah Khan, Om Shanti Om featured Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and Arjun Rampal in pivotal roles and became a landmark film in Bollywood. Shootout at Lokhandwala, directed by Apoorva Lakhia, saw Vivek deliver a compelling performance as gangster Maya Dolas.
Reflecting on SRK’s cameo in Saathiya, Vivek expressed gratitude for the superstar’s generosity. Directed by Shaad Ali, the romantic drama paired Vivek Oberoi with Rani Mukerji and remains a memorable film in his career.