Vikrant Massey: ‘Was bracketed as poor, malnourished boy’

Vikrant Massey

Playing a grey character in a world devoid of morals is an actor's delight. That's one of the reasons why Vikrant Massey relishes being a part of the Haseen Dillruba universe. As co-star Taapsee Pannu and he have returned to the romantic thriller's world with Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, he believes the timing is just right as Hindi cinema today has moved beyond its all-white protagonists. "When we humanise the characters that tread into grey zones, we make them relatable. In the last eight to 10 years, there has been a change in the world of storytelling, where unconventional characters have become mainstream because there is resonance with them. Even if you play an out-and-out antagonist and manage to humanise it, you will find a lot of relatability with it," he says.

From Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba's world of love and betrayal, Massey moves on to the 2006 Nithari case with the Netflix thriller, Sector 36. If it's quite a leap, it is deliberate. With each project, the actor wants to surprise the audience and break his boy-next-door image. "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."

There's another reason behind choosing diverse roles. Repeating himself on screen is a no-no for Massey. To him, it's the key to boredom. "Jimmy sir [Sheirgill] said in an interview that you can't keep doing the same thing. There are times when you do something intense and take [the character] back home, and other times, you feel like doing a mindless comedy. It's important to break the rut. A perception about you is created and you can't fight it. The only thing then is to do something that is not expected of you."