Vikrant Massey: Audience prefers shows that are relatable

Vikrant Massey

In the midst of a late-night shoot of the second season of Broken But Beautiful, Vikrant Massey says he feels disoriented. It is evident that the toil he has been putting in is taking a toll on him. Yet, his voice instantly gets a boost of energy when he must tackle questions about the web show.

"With the first season, we tapped into a niche audience base. In this season, it is the script that is the biggest forte. The story is unique, the tonality, unconventional. It is layered. It's also an urban story, because relationships in fast-paced cities have complexities that aren't often delved into. People have loved the story," he says of the show that see his character Veer, and Harleen Sethi's Sameera as lovers who were left heartbroken in their respective relationships.

The show deftly explores their insecurities as they attempt to move on from their past. Quiz him if the pop culture's obsession with happy endings has been a deterrent and he says, "I can't go about wanting to please everyone. I stand by what we have. One must have faith in the story. Cinema is meant to help us escape from morbid and mundane lives, but it is also a reflection of society. I never looked at a story and thought it should have a happy ending. In fact, what makes a show relatable is knowing that not everyone gets a happy ending in their relationships. There are unfinished romances."

The current crop of viewers, he is certain, chases stories that are relatable, not those that are idealistic. "My references are people who put up a brave face and go on with their lives without having someone to go back home to." Having recently wrapped up Deepika Padukone starrer Chhappak, which sheds light on the life of acid attack victims, Massey says he is indifferent about the medium offered to him as long as a script can "knock" him out. Working for the web, he asserts, is no less tedious than doing so for a film. "We have a 10-episode series. With one episode being 40 minutes long, we're essentially creating 400-minutes worth of content. This is almost as much as four films. It's far more challenging to work for the OTT medium."

Also read: Bride leaves wedding and crashes Vikrant Massey's shoot in Delhi; Here's what happened next

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