'Vivek plays games'

Sanjay Gupta lashes out at the actor who has walked out of Shootout at Wadala and signed another gangster film

Sanjay Gupta lashes out at the actor who has walked out of Shootout at Wadala and signed another gangster film

Fortunately or unfortunately controversy seems to follow Vivek Oberoi more often than he'd probably like.u00a0 This time the spat is between him and the man who gave him Maya Dolas, in Shootout at Lokhandwala easily one of the most acclaimed roles of his career.


Vivek Oberoi

Till a few weeks back, director Sanjay Gupta was all over town announcing that Vivek would play the role of Dawood Ibrahim in Shootout at Wadala. However, as reported 'Vivek not playing Dawood' (Hitlist, January 9), the actor was still in two minds about the role.

Now we've learnt that VO has not just walked out of the project, but also gone ahead and signed Bejoy Nambiar's gangster film David alongside south star Vikram and actress Tabu. Confirms Vivek's spokesperson, "Yes, he is officially on board for Bejoy's film."


Sanjay Gupta

It's a decision that has Gupta fuming red. The producer-director now claims that Vivek didn't walk out of the film, but was in fact dropped from the project last week itself.
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He says, "Ekta and I sat together last week on the script and we thought we needed a bigger name for the role; someone who has a better box-office draw than Vivek and someone who can do justice to the role."

Ironic, considering it's Gupta who has been raving about how Vivek fit the role of Dawood to the tee. He adds, "Well, one of the reasons we are keeping him off the project is his attitude towards work.
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On one hand, his secretary is discussing money and dates with my office and then he is in talks for another gangster film with another producer.

So now he has lost out on any future opportunities with White Feathers as well as with Balaji. We are serious filmmakers and we cannot work with someone who plays games. This is the reason he is where he is."

An insider close to Vivek, however, says, "He is already doing three gangster films this year including Zilla Gaziabad, a film with Tips and David.

He plays a lead in all these films, and he obviously does not want to take up another film where he plays a second fiddle." Vivek, who is currently visiting the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, was unavailable for comment.