'Movies matter, not medium', says Vikrant Massey

A still from the film; (right) Vikrant Massey

In his 10-year run in the movie industry so far, Vikrant Massey has steadily risen to become a dependable actor, giving us memorable performances in A Death in the Gunj (2016), Chhapaak (2020) and Haseen Dillruba (2021). Contrary to what one might expect, it wasn't the transition from supporting acts to lead roles that proved the most difficult for him. The actor, who is now fronting Gaslight alongside Sara Ali Khan and Chitrangda Singh, says the bigger fight was to break away from restrictive labels. Massey recollects, "Within the fraternity, they bracket you a lot. Until three to four years ago, people would still call me a television actor. I would snap back, asking, ‘What is a TV actor or a film actor? Every superstar is on television today. Why don't you call them television actors?'"

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The actor kicked off his career with television shows Balika Vadhu and Baba Aiso Varr Dhoondo, before foraying into Bollywood with Lootera (2013). Over the last few years, he also headlined popular web series like Mirzapur, Broken But Beautiful and Criminal Justice. With his filmography boasting a mix of theatrical and OTT releases, Massey says his top priority remains good stories. He states, "Stop bracketing actors. For me, the lines don't exist. I am a storyteller, irrespective of which platform I am telling stories on. I want my films to come out in cinemas, I want packed halls. But as long as I am catering to the audience, the medium does not matter."