Vikrant Massey On Breaking Free from Typecasting After 12th Fail: 'I Was Bracketed As Poor, Malnourished'

Vikrant Massey has become a notable Bollywood actor known for his wide range of roles and strong performances. He started with TV shows like Balika Vadhu and moved to films with Lootera. His lead role in A Death in the Gunj and his performance in Mirzapur gave a glimpse of his versatility to the audience. Recently, he received praise for his role in 12th Fail. 12th Fail, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, based on the real-life stories of IPS Officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and IRS Officer Shraddha Joshi, propelled Vikrant into a league of his own.

In a recent chat with Mid-day, Vikrant revealed his frustration with being typecast as a “poor, malnourished, simple boy-next-door,” which he feels has limited his acting opportunities. Despite all the buzz from 12th Fail, he is eager to surprise audiences with varied roles. The actor said he values working with creatives who see beyond his physical type and believes his upcoming projects will challenge those stereotypes.

“Sometimes, I feel there is an expectation to do a certain kind of films post 12th Fail [2023]. But that perception existed even before the film. I was bracketed as this poor, malnourished, simple boy-next-door. But I have been fortunate with my writers and producers, who recognised the potential beyond [my] physical appearance or perceived image. What you saw of me in the second half of Haseen Dillruba was a breath of fresh air for anyone who stereotyped me as that [boy-next-door]. The reason behind the kind of films I’m doing next year is that [I want to shed] this perceived image. What I am doing next is not expected of me,” said the actor.

Vikrant’s next film, Sector 36, inspired by the Nithari case and starring Deepak Dobriyal alongside him, presents him in a strikingly different look. The film is set to release on OTT on September 13, 2024. Vikrant will also star in Ranjan Chandel’s upcoming thriller film The Sabarmati Report alongside Raashi Khanna and Ridhi Dogra.

Meanwhile, he’s garnering praise for Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba. News18 Showsha gave the film 3 stars and wrote about Vikrant Massey, “The moment Vikrant Massey appears on screen, he commands your attention. Although his character, Rishu, exhibits more maniacal tendencies than most, Massey’s skilful performance makes us empathise with him.”