Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi finds himself labeled ‘ungrateful’ after declining the opportunity to be part of the sequel to “Shootout At Lokhandwala.” The rift has resurfaced between Oberoi and the film’s writer, Sanjay Gupta, who had once stood by the actor when the industry threatened to blacklist him.

Rewind to the time when the creators of “Shootout At Lokhandwala” faced threats against casting Vivek Oberoi. Despite the pressure, director Apoorva Lakhia, along with Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty, chose Oberoi to portray the role of Indian gangster Maya Dolas.

Fast forward to the present day, Gupta, now directing “Shootout At Wadala,” approached Oberoi for a role in the sequel, only to face rejection. This has sparked accusations of ingratitude, leading to a publicized falling out.

Sanjay Gupta, disappointed by Oberoi’s refusal, reflected on the actor’s earlier rejection of a role in the anthology film “Dus Kahaniyaan.” Gupta shared in an interview with Siddharth Kannan that he perceived Oberoi as ungrateful at that time. “All the actors agreed to be a part of ‘Dus Kahaniyaan,’ and Vivek was the only guy who said, ‘my career is going in a certain way. I don’t think I should do an anthology. I’ll stay away from that guy. I didn’t work with him after that,” revealed Gupta.

Despite Oberoi’s rejection of “Dus Kahaniyaan,” Gupta extended an olive branch when he directed “Shootout At Wadala.” Oberoi, emotional about reuniting with Gupta, initially agreed to the project, only to back out later. Gupta recalled the moment, stating, “He got up, and he hugged me. He had tears in his eyes, and he said, ‘I’m back home, I’m doing this film.’” Unfortunately, the excitement was short-lived as Oberoi reneged on his commitment.

The strained relationship between Gupta and actor Sanjay Dutt seems to have influenced Oberoi’s decisions. Gupta revealed that Dutt dissuaded actors from working with him, leading to Oberoi choosing “Zilla Ghaziabad” over a project with Gupta. Gupta expressed his disappointment, saying, “That’s where I lost it; I said that’s not right.”

While Gupta gave Oberoi the iconic character of Maya Bhai in “Shootout At Lokhandwala,” it seems Oberoi couldn’t reciprocate the favor. Fans now hope that the duo can reconcile and collaborate again, putting an end to the apparent curse on their once-promising partnership. Will this Bollywood bromance stand the test of time, or is it destined to be a tale of missed opportunities and fading camaraderie? Only time will tell.