Vikrant Massey has reflected on the transformative impact of 12th Fail on his career, revealing how the film not only earned him the National Film Award for Best Actor last year but also changed the industry’s perception of him.
In an exclusive conversation with News18, the actor admitted that the recognition has opened new opportunities and increased the confidence filmmakers have in him.
Vikrant Massey opens up about industry bias and the impact of his National Award win; says, ‘There’s a lot more trust now’Speaking about the shift, Vikrant said, ‘The access to certain rooms has increased. I wouldn’t deny that. But that’s the nature of life.’ Despite the newfound recognition, he clarified that he never felt resentful about receiving appreciation only after the success of 12th Fail. ‘Not just in the film industry but also in sports, politics and the corporate world, if you’ve achieved a benchmark, the world starts seeing you differently. It really doesn’t surprise me. I’m not bitter about the fact that log mujhe National Award ya 12th Fail ke baad alag nazar se dekh rahe hai,’ he shared, adding, ‘I always aware of this facet of life. It was like this before me and it will remain that way even after I’m gone.’
The actor also recalled a candid conversation with filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra during the making of 12th Fail. Calling Chopra his mentor, Vikrant said, ‘He’s my mentor and someone who has handheld me throughout my journey and continues to do that. He told me, ‘Why would someone pay their hard earned money to watch you in a theatre when they can easily access you on Netflix? Woh apne ghar pe baithke tujhe dekh sakte hai.’ That has changed now.’
Vikrant believes audience trust has grown significantly since then. ‘There’s a lot more trust now. I realise there’s a lot more responsibility on me. I recognise that there’s a certain section of people who are shelling out their money to watch me. I want to be worth their time and money,’ he said.
The Musafir Cafe actor also spoke about the prejudice he faced while transitioning from television to films. Having started his acting career with the TV show Dhoom Machaao Dhoom, Vikrant said the industry often looked down upon television actors. ‘I come from TV, a medium which is extremely powerful. But your professional circle tends to look down upon it. But the lines are blurring now and that has happened with the advent of OTT,’ he remarked.
He further revealed that being labelled a ‘TV actor’ used to offend him because it reflected a bias. ‘Today, you don’t refer to an actor who began their career with TV as a ‘TV actor’ like the way it used to be. I would really get offended when a supersedure would describe me as a TV actor. An actor is an actor. Usko badalne ke liye maine bahot koshish ki,’ Vikrant concluded.