Vivek Oberoi Opens Up About Past Feud with Salman Khan, Calls It a ‘Test from God

MUMBAIضBollywood actor **Vivek Oberoi** has reflected on his infamous fallout with Salman Khan over Aishwarya Rai, saying he refused to “live in fear.”

In the early 2000s, rumors swirled about a romantic relationship between Vivek Oberoi and Aishwarya Rai, shortly after her breakup with Salman Khan. In 2003, Vivek held a press conference alleging that Salman had threatened him over his ties with Aishwarya.

The move backfired, halting Vivek’s fast-rising career in Bollywood. Speaking recently with writer and podcaster Prakhar Gupta, the **49-year-old actor**, who hails from a Punjabi family in Hyderabad, admitted: *“I’m a very sensitive and emotional person. I didn’t want to live my life in fear of heartbreak. I had already been through that once.”*

He described the fallout as one of the **biggest controversies of that decade**, but one that ultimately became a spiritual test: *“When disasters hit, they feel huge. But I realized God looks at them as small trials to make you stronger.”*

Looking back, Vivek says he now finds the episode “immature and irrelevant”: *“At that time, the bitterness and fear felt overwhelming. Today, I’ve moved past it completely.”*

On the work front, Vivek was last seen earlier this year in *Kesari Veer* and is set to appear next in *Masti 4*.