In a recent interview, actor Vivek Oberoi revealed that he received threat calls from Pakistan while shooting for the film Kurbaan in the United States in 2009. The Hindi film industry in the late 1990s and early 2000s was heavily influenced by underworld gangsters, who routinely extorted filmmakers, producers, and actors. Some filmmakers, such as Gulshan Kumar and Rakesh Roshan, were even shot by gangsters to demonstrate their power.
Oberoi recounted that the threatening calls were made to his hotel room and a message was left on the answering machine. The message contained keywords that triggered an alert, prompting the hotel to involve the police. "Local production people told me that you must inform so I did that," Oberoi stated.
The authorities traced the calls back to Pakistan and confirmed that the number had been flagged as a potential threat. According to Oberoi, the callers said things like, "We know you are here, khatam kar denge, uda denge (we will kill you)". Initially, Oberoi did not take the threats seriously, assuming they were a prank. However, after the police confirmed the validity of the threat, he hired additional security for his family. He also had to hire a lawyer in the US to deal with the situation.
Kurbaan, directed by Rensil D'Silva, is a romantic thriller that addresses issues of identity and global terrorism. The film stars Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, with Oberoi, Kirron Kher, Om Puri, and Dia Mirza in supporting roles. The film's narrative centers on Avantika Ahuja (Kareena Kapoor), a psychology professor who unknowingly marries a terrorist. The movie was filmed in several locations, including Philadelphia, New York City, Delhi, and Mumbai.
Notably, there were other challenges during the production of Kurbaan. Filming in the United Kingdom was canceled due to a lack of permissions. Overcrowding in Delhi led to the recreation of certain wide shots in Mumbai. Additionally, the production company, Dharma Productions, faced accusations of not compensating some workers during the U.S. shoot. The final schedule planned for Pune was also canceled because of a swine flu outbreak.
Kurbaan was released on November 20, 2009, receiving positive reviews from critics, who praised the direction, screenplay, music, and performances of the lead actors. However, despite critical acclaim, the film did not perform well at the box office.
