Vikrant Massey reveals he almost rejected Chhapaak opposite Deepika Padukone: ‘Thought we won’t look good’ | Interview
Actor Vikrant Massey has successfully been able to create a diverse career within the entertainment industry in India. Whether in television or movies or even in streaming shows, he always made sure that he is part of productions that will push his boundaries as opposed to staying in one character. In an exclusive interview with the Hindustan Times ahead of the Netflix show called Musafir Cafe on which he turns co-producer, Vikrant explained how he managed to avoid getting pigeonholed and why he owes it all to those around him.
He never wanted to be boxed into one image
Vikrant Massey shared that he has never believed in falling into the stereotype trap. And according to him, most of this has been attributed to the fact that he loves the audiences who have supported him on every platform he worked, whether television, movies or OTT.
“The last thing you want is to be bracketed. But I think I’ve also been very lucky, you know, lucky with the fact that just to sort of put it briefly. My audiences have been so gracious, so patient, graceful with me and I’m so grateful to them. Buy salsa Mujhe Dekreimo. Uh, TV Pe, Dekha, Cinema jacket, dictivikriti, uh, OTT, baby, Dekhre. It’s because of that,” he told HT.
Filmmakers helped him see his own potential
Vikrant Massey said that his career path would never have evolved the way it did had there been no filmmakers who had faith in his abilities despite him having doubts about his own capabilities. “And yes, I also got very lucky with the collaborators I sort of encountered in that journey. They allowed me to sort of see myself in a different light, even when I was not willing to,” he added.
Recalling some of the people who played a big role in his growth, he said, “For example, a Konkana Sen Sharma saw Shutu (a character from A Death in Gunj) in me when I was not able to. So her faith in me sort of gave me te confidence to go against the grain and do what I otherwise would have not done. Or when an Excel came my way with the Mirzapur or when Vidhu Vinod Chopra came my way or, when a Meghna Gulzar came my way.”
Meghna Gulzar convinced him to star opposite Deepika Padukone in Chhapaak
One such pivotal point of time for Vikrant was when he was offered the film Chhapaak, directed by Meghna Gulzar and featuring Deepika Padukone. He revealed that he nearly backed out of the project because he did not know whether he could pull off a role opposite an actor like that. It was Meghna Gulzar who helped convince him to accept the challenge.
“I remember during Chapaak, I said, ‘Deepika is a big star. She’s as tall as me. We won’t look good’. So she (Meghna Gulzar) convinced me (to do the project). She said, ‘You guys will look good together. I want you to play the part, but these are the pre-requisites that I have.’ And I almost chickened out. It’s also a lot of other people who’ve shown a lot of faith in me. It’s it’s an ongoing journey. So that gives you the confidence too.”
About Musafir Cafe
Written and created by Sharanya Rajgopal, Musafir Cafe is directed by Ruchir Arun. The show is produced by Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) and Homemade Stories. It is based on Divya Prakash Dubey’s novel of the same name and stars Vikrant Massey as Chander Mohan Sharma, a man who lives a meticulously planned life until he comes across Sudha (Vedika Pinto), an independent divorce lawyer who pushes him out of his comfort zone to dream beyond his plans. However, as life progresses, Chander also meets Preeti (Mahima Makwana), a woman who supports him silently with her undying faith. Together, their stories shed light on how relationships coming into our lives during different stages of life make us who we are.
Apart from Vikrant Massey, Musafir Cafe features Adil Hussain, Rajeev Siddhartha, Anubha Fatehpuria, Loveleen Mishra and Sadia Siddiqui in key roles. The romantic drama is directed by Ruchir Arun and produced by Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) and Homemade Stories. It will be available on Netflix from July 24.
