Vikrant Massey hits ‘restart’ button, announces break from acting

 

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Also Read | Vikrant Massey announces retirement from acting at 37: ‘It’s time to recalibrate, go back home’

While responding to a post on X (formerly Twitter) about the film, PM Modi wrote: “Well said. It is good that this truth is coming out, and that too in a way common people can see it. A fake narrative can persist only for a limited period. Eventually, the facts will always come out!” The PM, along with some central ministers, reportedly attended a screening of The Sabarmati Report at the Balayogi Auditorium in the Parliament premises on December 2.

A section of Vikrant Massey’s fans, however, have expressed their disappointment over Massey’s decision to headline Ekta Kapoor-produced The Sabarmati Report, which released on November 15. Many also disapproved the supposed shift in the actor’s ideology. They assume that the actor is now leaning towards right-wing views. In February this year, the actor posted a detailed apology on X over a now-deleted tweet, which he made in 2018 while expressing anger over the gangrape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua. In his apology, Massey wrote that he never intended to ‘hurt, malign or disrespect’ the Hindu community.

Massey has often been admired for his nuanced but moving performances on the screen as well as his grounded personality off it. Interestingly, the actor comes from a multi-faith family — his mother is a Sikh, father Christian while his brother became a Muslim. His wife Sheetal Thakur is a Rajput Hindu and they have a son named Vardaan. The characters Massey played on screen — be it the supportive husband in Balika Vadhu (2009-10) or the sensitive Shutu in Konkana Sensharma-directed A Death in the Gunj (2017) — too have contributed in creating his endearing image.

No wonder while addressing the audience at the IFFI 2024 ceremony, the actor, who called himself a “storyteller at heart”, said: “I choose scripts that allows me to become the voice of the common people. Own yourself, your stories, and your roots, wherever you come from.” The actor has often been praised for his versatility and craft, apart from playing characters which are relatable.

Also Read | When Vikrant Massey revealed why he quit TV despite earning ‘Rs 35 lakh per month’: ‘I didn’t have peace’

The career of this dancer-turned-actor, who made his screen debut with the serial Dhoom Machaao Dhoom in 2007, has followed an interesting trajectory. Though his big break came with Dharam Veer in 2008 as he was cast as the titular prince Dharam, it is Balika Vadhu that brought him wider recognition. His transition to the big screen drew praises as he featured in critically-acclaimed movies such as Vikramaditya Motwane-directed Lootera (2013), followed by A Death in the Gunj. Later on, he appeared in several talked-about movies, including  Chhapaak (2020), Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare (2020), Ginny Weds Sunny (2020), Cargo (2020), Haseen Dilruba (2021) and Love Hostel (2022). 12th Fail became his biggest theatrical success and also received a lot of love when released on Disney+Hotstar in 2024.

Though Vikrant Massey’s decision to take an indefinite break from movies appears sudden to many, it might not be so. In a video, posted on his and IFFI’s Instagram handle ahead of him receiving the Indian Film Personality of the Year award, the actor says: “Main Vikrant Massey jo hoon, woh main hoon. Woh mera ateet tha, woh mera aaj hai, wohi mera kal hoga. Abhi babut kuchch karna baaki hai. Waisi bahut khoobiyan hai mujh mein. So, just wait and watch. (I am Vikrant Massey and I am what I am. This is my past, my present and this also will be my future. There is a lot left to do. I have many talents. So, wait and watch).” We are waiting.