Veteran actor Suresh Oberoi recounts overcoming challenges in the film industry

On his 77th birthday, veteran actor Suresh Oberoi, who recently starred in the successful film ‘Animal,’ reflected on the challenges he faced throughout his career in the film industry. Despite facing rejection from some actors, Suresh managed to leave a lasting impression with his performances, notably earning a National Award for Best Supporting Actor in Ketan Mehta's 1987 film ‘Mirch Masala.’


In an interview with Lehren Retro, Suresh recalled an interesting incident from the past when he was paid more than Anil Kapoor for a film called ‘Thikana’ directed by Mahesh Bhatt. He shared that he had taken Rs 25,000 more than Anil Kapoor in Thikana and was getting good money, but few people did not want to work with him.



When asked about the reasons behind this reluctance, Suresh explained that some actors were insecure about working with him because they believed he could overshadow them. Suresh also recalled advice from actor Vinod Mehra, who suggested focusing on character roles rather than lead roles. Despite facing criticism, his role in ‘Mirch Masala’ led to the introduction of a new category, Best Supporting Actor, at the National Awards, and Suresh received the prestigious honor.

Reflecting on the moment he received his first National Award, Suresh emotionally shared that he started crying and couldn’t talk on the phone. He recounted that Anil Kapoor called him from Shabana’s house and both of them spoke to him. He told Anil about the night shoot and Anil was like, ‘cancel, aaj itna bada din hai'. (Cancel the shoot, today is such a big day)


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