Repetition has never been Vikrant Massey’s calling card. From the chilling menace of Sector 36 and the layered romance of Phir Aayee Hasseen Dillruba to the resilience of 12th Fail, his filmography is exactly the opposite of formula. Now, he is adding another chapter to that journey by turning producer with Netflix’s Musafir Café, in which he also acts. In this conversation, Massey speaks about the responsibility that comes with recognition, and why creativity transcends gender and identity.
What is it like to produce a film and act in it?
It is easy to be a producer when your writer is Sharanya Rajgopal, because you don’t have to worry about that particular domain and you can concentrate on your acting. I gave Sharanya all the responsibilities.
Any particular reason you felt that this project is the right one to become a producer?
It felt the right fit. You’re extremely protective about your career because every project demands months of your life. So the writing has to be exceptional. I trusted Sharanya and collaborator Vijay Subramaniam, who made the partnership effortless.
You have worked with many women filmmakers. What has been your experience?
I have been lucky. Be it Zoya Akhtar, Alankrita Shrivastava, Konkana Sen Sharma, or Meghna Gulzar. Creativity transcends gender. And as a creative person, I cannot differentiate between male and female filmmakers. However, women bring remarkable sensitivity to emotional narratives.
Your passion is something that reflects on the screen. What keeps you going?
Someone recently asked me whether I could finally relax after winning the National Award, but that was never the target. Like my character Manoj Kumar Sharma from 12th Fail says: to be an IAS officer is not the goal. He aims to change the entire country. Similarly, my ambition was never to win awards or get recognition. I want to tell stories that reach people and perhaps even change lives.
What new responsibilities does a National Award bring to an actor?
The responsibilities definitely increase. For me, the responsibility of being an actor goes beyond simply entertaining audiences. When people honour you with their love and recognition, they are also placing their faith in you. As actors, we must use our platform not just to entertain, but to encourage conversations and give people the courage to believe that their stories deserve to be told. I am aware of how privileged my position is. Few people get the opportunity that I have been blessed with, and I don’t take it for granted. But this privilege did not come overnight. It has taken me 18 years of perseverance, struggle, disappointments, and constant learning to reach here.
Has winning the National Award changed the way filmmakers look at you? Has it influenced the scripts coming your way?
Yes, to some extent it has changed the perception people have of me. But it hasn’t changed the way I choose scripts. I won this award because I trusted certain stories and worked with the right people. Why would I change that approach now? My focus remains exactly where it has always been—telling great stories with people I believe in.
Do you ever doubt yourself?
Self-doubt never really goes away. In fact, I just watched the trailer, and I’m already wondering how people are going to react. Will they appreciate my work? Will it connect with them? Those questions are always there. But eventually you have to back yourself. You have to trust the hard work you’ve put in and remind yourself why you chose this profession. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. Confidence isn’t the absence of self-doubt—it’s moving forward despite it.
How was it working with two leading actresses in the series?
Both of them are beautiful, extremely talented, and wonderfully unconventional actors. Mahima Makwana and I had worked together years ago during Balika Vadhu. We hadn’t really met after that, so it was lovely reconnecting with her. What excited me most, though, was the script. It’s one of the finest screenplays I’ve read in a long time, and everyone involved was committed to bringing that story alive.
As a producer, what kind of stories do you want to tell? And will you create opportunities for newcomers, considering you’ve come this far without any industry background?
Absolutely, that’s the very DNA of our production house. I’ve been in discussions with the Netflix team because I genuinely want to create opportunities for young people who remind me of myself when I was seventeen. Someone believed in me almost twenty years ago, and I want to pass that opportunity forward to many young Vikrants out there.