Does Vikrant Massey ever disappoint? In 2023, we saw him sweep across the nation’s collective conscience in 12th Fail with a yearning performance that yelled at educational elitism. Earlier this year, Vikrant sent a chill up the nation’s collective spine playing a gruesome, unapologetic mass killer in Sector 36. He is now back in a role that allows him to do what he is best at: play an underdog who rises when pushed and prodded into a corner. Vikrant plays a Hindi channel journalist, Samar Kumar, who is pushed around by his bosses at the television broadcast station on account of his vernacular identity.
Vikrant rightfully gives Sabarmati Report due importance. “It is the single most important film. I place it right at the top with some of my best work. Or some of my best films and best subjects, I think, including 12th Fail and Sector 36 and Death in the Gunj.Yeah, I’m really proud of this film.”
He is clear on the fact that the film doesn’t reflect his political ideology. “Everybody has an ideology, whether political or moral. And if there is anybody who feels like following his or her ideology, and make movies according to that, I don’t see anything wrong with it. But I hope you don’t attribute me doing this film to any right-wing ideology.”
Sabarmati Report, says Vikrant, is his followup career-defining work after 12th Fail. “It is based on an unfortunate incident, a tragedy. It is also based on real life. And it makes it all the more special because, unfortunately, a lot of people, especially an entire generation does not know about this tragedy. Unfortunately, there is a lot of political connotation attached to this tragedy. And honestly, when I signed the film, I didn’t know much. But the producers really helped me with a lot of research material. I made use of the internet. And I think now I can say with regards to the Sabarmati Report, I’m fairly equipped with regards to the facts and things that happened. I was one of those who was not aware of the reality. But thanks to the film and the research material, I know quite a bit now. The answer to question one is, in terms of importance and relevance, yes, definitely.”
After 12th Fail, Vikrant feels the change in his career profile. “I can feel the change. I see the change. With regards to people, with regards to the way my fraternity has responded towards me. Yeah, so it feels great. I’m really happy. There are much better roles coming in. Much more responsibility as well. So I’m really looking forward to taking it on. And probably moving forward with far more responsibility and caution.”
