Bollywood has seen a lot of high profile love stories, breakups and public dramas. But, a few stories are always remembered by the audience. One such story is the past relationship of Aishwarya Rai and Vivek Oberoi. Even though they have moved on individually in their lives, something or the other, keeps reminding everyone of their relationship.
In 2023, this past relationship made headlines when Vivek appeared on Anas Bukhash’s podcast and spoke about his relationships, heartbreaks and dishonesty he has faced in life. Throughout the conversation, he never mentioned Aishwarya’s name, but the viewers felt that his words hinted at their history.
Vivek and Aishwarya: A famous love story of the 2000s
Vivek and Aishwarya’s relationship became public around the early 2000s, after Aishwarya had ended her much-talked-about relationship with superstar, Salman Khan. Vivek and Aishwarya starred together in the romantic film, Kyun! Ho Gaya Na and soon, they were a couple off-screen too.
However, things didn’t last for long. In 2003, Vivek called a press conference where he claimed that Salman Khan was threatening him over dating Aishwarya. This public statement caused a huge stir in the media and according to him, it also affected his career. Following which, by 2005, Aishwarya and Vivek had parted ways.
Vivek Oberoi’s remarks about his past relationships and heartbreaks
In a conversation on Anas Boukhash’s podcast, Vivek spoke his heart, reflecting on past heartbreaks and lessons learned. Without naming anyone, he revealed feeling betrayed in past relationships, describing how ex-partners made promises but ultimately left. He said that, he love with all his heart and eventually gets hurt also.
He also said that even when he was dating casually, he always made it clear that he wasn’t looking for anything serious at the time. He made sure that he wouldn’t lead someone on or leave them after making commitments. He also added,
“I wouldn’t commit to somebody and leave. I would be straightforward and tell them I am not looking for anything serious.”
Even though Vivek never took Aishwarya’s name in the entire conversation, fans speculated that his words could possibly be for Aishwarya. After all, their relationship made major headlines at that time.
Vivek Oberoi’s healing journey
The podcast was not the first time he spoke about his emotional journey. In a previous interview with Bollywood Bubble, when he was asked about Aishwarya, he said, “done and dusted”. More recently, in a conversation on Dr. Jai Madan’s YouTube channel, he said:
“If someone is leaving your life, think of it this way: A child drops his lollipop in the mud, and his mother won’t allow him to eat it because it is dirty. Life will give you a new partner. The longer you stay with the pain, the more it’ll grow.”
Vivek Oberoi chose self-worth over a ‘plastic’ life
The most inspiring part of Vivek’s healing journey is how he understood the importance of self-worth. Reflecting on his past experience, the actor shared how self-realisation helped him get pulled out of that dark phase. He said, sometimes, we go into abusive relationships where people don’t value us. At such times, it is important to identify your self-worth.
He also candidly admitted that, after all his bitter breakups, there were chances that he could slip into a shallow and ‘plastic’ life, where he is surrounded by fake smiles, but he chose to not let that happen to him. He said,
“Perhaps I would’ve become a superficial person, living a superficial life. Perhaps I would’ve become plastic myself, among people with plastic smiles… If people troll me now, I don’t care. I know my purpose in life, and I know what is truly important to me.”
From heartbreak to happiness
Both Vivek and Aishwarya, after going through their own ups and downs, found their happiness individually. Aishwarya Rai married Abhishek Bachchan in 2007, whereas Vivek Oberoi got married to Priyanka Alva in 2010. Interestingly, Vivek Oberoi shared that he stayed friends with a lot of his casual ex-girlfriends and a lot of them also attended her wedding.
What lies ahead for Vivek Oberoi?
Professionally, Vivek Oberoi continues to evolve more and more. With his recent role in Rohit Shetty’s Indian Police Force, he has now hit the theatres with his most recent film, Kesari Veer. The film was supposed to release on May 16, 2025, but it got postponed by a week and was released on May 23, 2025.
Apart from this, he is also growing as a successful entrepreneur as he feels that the industry doesn’t offer a very secure job. As an entrepreneur, he majorly owns a diamond company, Solitario and he has a joint venture with Swarrnim University.
In an industry where public image often overshadows personal truth, Vivek Oberoi’s conversations stood out for their honesty and depth. While media headlines may link his words to Aishwarya Rai, his journey today is less about the past and more about personal and understanding his own worth.
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