Vivek Oberoi has opinions about Shah Rukh Khan’s legacy. Let that sink in for a moment.
Vivek Oberoi. The actor whose entire career imploded after one disastrous press conference in 2003. The man who went from being Ram Gopal Varma’s golden boy to Bollywood’s cautionary tale about what happens when you mess with the wrong people. The guy who’s been doing Masti sequels for two decades while SRK became the second richest actor on the planet.
That Vivek Oberoi just told Pinkvilla that by 2050, people will ask “Kaun Shah Rukh Khan?”
The audacity. The absolute, unbelievable audacity.
Shah Rukh Khan just turned 60. He celebrated with a massive fan event in Mumbai where thousands showed up to catch a glimpse. He won his first National Award after 33 years in the industry for Jawan, a film that collected over 1100 crores worldwide. His upcoming film King has already generated massive buzz despite not releasing a single trailer yet.
Meanwhile, Vivek’s most notable achievement in the last decade was getting mocked for that tasteless Aishwarya Rai meme he posted and later apologized for. His claim to relevance is playing supporting roles and hoping people remember he was once considered talented.
And yet here he is, philosophizing about how fame is temporary and even Shah Rukh Khan will fade into obscurity while comparing SRK to Raj Kapoor and suggesting today’s youth don’t know cinema legends.
The internet is having a field day. Share this with every SRK fan you know because this take is so wild it needs to be seen to be believed.
The Statement That Launched A Thousand Angry Tweets
During his conversation with Pinkvilla, Vivek waxed philosophical about the fleeting nature of stardom. “Which film, starring whom from the 1960s, do you ask anyone about today? Nobody cares. You will inevitably be relegated to history. In 2050, people might say, ‘Kaun Shah Rukh Khan?'”
He doubled down with the Raj Kapoor comparison. “Just as people today might ask, ‘Who is Raj Kapoor?’ You and I may call him the god of cinema, but if you ask any youngster who is a fan of Ranbir Kapoor, they might not even know who Raj Kapoor was. So perhaps history eventually relegates us all to nothingness.”
On the surface, it’s a philosophical observation about time, memory, and how cultural relevance shifts across generations. Every era has its icons. Those icons fade as new ones emerge. Nothing lasts forever. Totally reasonable point.
Except for one tiny detail. It’s coming from Vivek Oberoi about Shah Rukh Khan.
The same Vivek whose career trajectory went from “next big thing” to “who?” in approximately three months after that infamous 2003 press conference where he publicly aired Salman Khan’s drunk phone calls. The same Vivek who lost Aishwarya Rai, destroyed his industry relationships, and spent the next two decades rebuilding a career that never quite recovered.
That Vivek is predicting SRK will be forgotten. The irony is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Don’t miss the messy history that makes this statement even more loaded than it appears.
The Aishwarya Connection That Everyone Remembers
Here’s what you need to know about why this statement carries extra weight. Vivek and Shah Rukh aren’t just random industry colleagues. They’re connected through one of Bollywood’s messiest love triangles that imploded spectacularly in the early 2000s.
Aishwarya Rai dated Salman Khan in a relationship that became increasingly toxic. She eventually left Salman and started dating Vivek Oberoi around 2003. Salman, reportedly heartbroken and enraged, allegedly made threatening phone calls to Vivek.
Instead of handling it privately, Vivek called a press conference on April 1, 2003. In front of dozens of journalists, he detailed Salman’s drunk calls, played victim, and essentially declared war on one of Bollywood’s biggest stars.
The industry turned against Vivek almost immediately. Not because Salman was right, but because Vivek violated an unspoken code. You don’t air private disputes publicly. You don’t embarrass powerful people on television. You especially don’t do it when the person you’re “protecting” is Aishwarya Rai, who had her own complicated relationships with multiple industry heavyweights.
Shah Rukh Khan’s name came up in this mess because he’d worked extensively with Aishwarya. While SRK wasn’t directly involved in the Salman Vivek feud, the interconnected nature of Bollywood meant everyone chose sides. And very few people chose Vivek’s side.
Aishwarya dumped Vivek shortly after. His career opportunities dried up. Directors stopped casting him. Producers avoided him. From 2003 to 2010, Vivek went from leading man to character actor to whatever roles he could get.
Now, 22 years later, he’s making statements about Shah Rukh Khan’s eventual irrelevance. The same Shah Rukh who navigated those messy years without destroying his career, who maintained relationships with everyone involved, and who’s currently enjoying a career renaissance at 60.
The timing is fascinating. And by fascinating, we mean absolutely loaded with subtext.
What Shah Rukh’s Been Up To While Vivek Makes Predictions
Let’s examine the legacy Vivek claims will fade by 2050. Because the numbers tell a different story than his philosophical musing.
Shah Rukh Khan has been acting for 33 years. He’s delivered iconic performances in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which ran in theaters for 25 years. He defined romance for an entire generation with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, and Kal Ho Naa Ho. He showed dramatic range in Swades, Chak De India, and My Name Is Khan.
His films have collectively grossed over 15,000 crores worldwide. He’s won 14 Filmfare Awards and finally received his first National Award in 2025 for Jawan. At 60, after what many considered a career slump with Pathan, Jawan, and Dunki underperforming critics’ expectations, he’s still getting top billing in major productions.
He co owns Kolkata Knight Riders, an IPL team valued at over 1000 crores. He’s got endorsement deals worth hundreds of crores annually. He’s one of the wealthiest actors globally, with a net worth estimated around 7000 crores.
His global recognition extends beyond India. He’s been featured in international publications, received honorary doctorates from multiple universities, and gets mobbed by fans from Mumbai to Manhattan.
His upcoming film King, directed by Sujoy Ghosh, co stars his daughter Suhana Khan. The project has generated massive anticipation despite releasing zero promotional material. That’s the power of the SRK brand.
Now compare that to Vivek’s recent output. Mastiii 4, the fourth installment of a sex comedy franchise that peaked in 2004. A supporting role in Prabhas’s Spirit. Character parts in films that come and go without much fanfare.
Vivek isn’t wrong that fame fades. He’s living proof. His own career is the perfect example of how quickly Bollywood forgets you when you make the wrong moves. But projecting that trajectory onto Shah Rukh Khan while SRK is actively dominating the industry at 60? That takes a special kind of either courage or delusion.
The Raj Kapoor Comparison That Actually Makes A Point
Here’s where Vivek’s argument has merit, even if the messenger is problematic. He referenced Raj Kapoor, one of Hindi cinema’s genuine legends. The showman. The man who gave us Awara, Shree 420, and Mera Naam Joker. A director, actor, and producer who shaped Bollywood’s golden era.
Ask a 20 year old in 2025 who Raj Kapoor was. Many genuinely don’t know. They know Ranbir Kapoor, his grandson. They might know Rishi Kapoor from the 90s. But Raj Kapoor? That requires film history knowledge most casual viewers don’t have.
Time does erode memory. Each generation has its own icons. The stars of the 1960s are footnotes in film history books, remembered by cinephiles but unknown to mainstream audiences. The 80s and 90s stars are heading the same direction. Eventually, even the biggest names become “that old actor my parents liked.”
Shah Rukh Khan is 60. By 2050, he’ll be 85, assuming he’s still alive. The teenagers watching his films now will be in their 40s. Their children, born in the 2030s and 2040s, will grow up with completely different entertainment options and cultural references.
Will those kids care about Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge? Probably not the way current audiences do. Will they recognize Shah Rukh Khan’s name? Maybe. Maybe not. Cultural memory is fickle. Technology changes how we consume entertainment. Streaming algorithms favor new content over old classics. Each generation builds its own mythology.
So Vivek’s point about the temporary nature of fame is valid. It’s a truth every celebrity faces eventually. Legends fade. Icons become trivia questions. Even the biggest stars are forgotten given enough time.
But here’s the thing. That’s a point best made by someone whose own career didn’t crash and burn spectacularly. When you’re Vivek Oberoi, whose claim to relevance is being “that guy who dated Aishwarya for a minute,” making philosophical proclamations about Shah Rukh Khan’s eventual irrelevance reads less like wisdom and more like wishful thinking.
Share this with your film history nerd friend because this conversation is deeper than it looks.
What The Internet Is Saying (And It’s Brutal)
Social media reacted exactly how you’d expect. With memes, jokes, and absolutely zero chill.
One viral tweet read: “Vivek Oberoi predicting Shah Rukh Khan will be forgotten is like the Titanic’s iceberg writing a book about ship safety. Sir, you’re the reason people remember that press conference, not your filmography.”
Another commented: “In 2050, people will definitely ask ‘Kaun Vivek Oberoi?’ They’re already asking that in 2025.”
A third got philosophical: “The difference between SRK and Vivek is that one created a legacy people want to remember. The other created a disaster people can’t forget.”
The Raj Kapoor comparison particularly annoyed people. Multiple users pointed out that while younger audiences might not know Raj Kapoor’s films, they absolutely know the name and legacy. His impact on Indian cinema is taught in film schools. His innovations are referenced constantly. He’s remembered even if his specific films aren’t watched.
That’s the kind of legacy Shah Rukh Khan is building. Not just hit films, but cultural impact that transcends individual projects. The romantic hero archetype he perfected. The phrase “Shah Rukh Khan style” that means specific arm spreading, romance executing, charm oozing performance.
Even if people in 2050 don’t watch DDLJ, they’ll know about the train scene, the mustard fields, the cultural phenomenon it represented. That’s different than being completely forgotten.
But the most cutting responses focused on the source. Vivek Oberoi’s career is a cautionary tale. He had talent, good looks, and strong early performances in Company and Saathiya. Then one press conference destroyed everything. One decision erased years of potential.
Now he’s making predictions about other people’s legacies while his own barely exists. The irony is exquisite.
The Deeper Truth About Fame That Nobody Wants To Admit
Strip away the personalities and the messy history. Look at Vivek’s actual argument. Is he wrong?
Fame is temporary. Success is fleeting. Today’s megastar is tomorrow’s “remember when” conversation. The entertainment industry moves fast. New faces replace old faces. Technology changes how audiences consume content. Each generation creates its own icons and forgets the previous generation’s.
In 1995, Rajesh Khanna was considered has been despite being the first true Bollywood superstar. In 2010, Amitabh Bachchan’s stardom seemed eternal until younger audiences started questioning why he was still getting lead roles at 70. Now in 2025, even the Khans face questions about relevance as newer actors emerge.
By 2050, entertainment will be unrecognizable. Virtual reality films. AI generated content. Completely different distribution models. The theatrical experience might not even exist as we know it. In that context, will audiences care about a romantic hero from the 2000s who spread his arms in mustard fields?
Maybe not. Vivek’s core point about historical irrelevance has merit. The specific example of Shah Rukh Khan might be debatable, but the broader principle is sound. Nothing lasts forever. Every empire falls. Every legend fades.
But timing and credibility matter. You can’t make that argument effectively when your own irrelevance came from self destruction rather than natural obsolescence. Vivek’s career didn’t fade because time passed and tastes changed. It imploded because he made catastrophic decisions that burned bridges throughout the industry.
That’s not wisdom. That’s projection.
What This Says About Bollywood’s Short Memory
Here’s what’s really fascinating about this controversy. Vivek Oberoi thinks people will forget Shah Rukh Khan by 2050. But Bollywood already forgot Vivek Oberoi by 2005.
The industry has a notoriously short memory for anyone who isn’t consistently delivering hits or maintaining power relationships. Vivek’s early success in Company and Saathiya positioned him as the next big thing. Ram Gopal Varma championed him. Critics praised his intensity.
Then the press conference happened. Suddenly, those same people who called him talented were calling him unprofessional. The same industry that welcomed him closed its doors. He didn’t fade gradually over decades. He fell off a cliff within months.
That’s the real lesson here. Fame isn’t just temporary because time passes. It’s fragile because it depends on relationships, perception, and making the right moves at the right time. Vivek lost his not because audiences moved on, but because he destroyed his own career through poor judgment.
Shah Rukh Khan, conversely, has navigated 33 years of an industry known for eating its own. He’s maintained relationships with multiple generations of filmmakers, actors, and producers. He’s evolved with changing tastes while maintaining core appeal. He’s made strategic choices that extended his relevance far beyond typical star shelf life.
That’s not luck. That’s skill. The same skill Vivek failed to develop.
So when Vivek says “everyone gets forgotten eventually,” he’s technically correct. But there’s a big difference between being forgotten after a legendary 50 year career and being forgotten because you torpedoed your own career at 27.
Drop a comment: Is Vivek Oberoi right that even Shah Rukh Khan will be forgotten eventually? Or is this just sour grapes from someone whose own career never recovered? Share this with your Bollywood debate group because this conversation is everything.
Follow for more spicy Bollywood takes that make you think twice. Because when an actor whose career died 22 years ago starts predicting other people’s irrelevance, that’s either profound philosophy or spectacular irony. You decide.
When Vivek Oberoi says Shah Rukh Khan will be forgotten by 2050, he might be right. Everything fades eventually. But the difference is people will remember what Shah Rukh Khan accomplished. They’ll remember the films, the impact, the legacy. When they remember Vivek Oberoi, if they remember him at all, it’ll be for one disastrous press conference that ended a promising career before it truly began. And that’s a far worse fate than being forgotten.
