National Award–Winning Actor Vikrant Massey Turns Producer as Bollywood’s Power Dynamics Shift

BY SHANTISWAROOP TRIPATHI

Forget the big superstars—today, even relatively smaller actors are turning film producers. Actress Meera Chopra produced the film Gandhi Talks, which released on January 30, 2026, but its fate reminded many of the old saying: “A peacock danced in the forest—who saw it?”
Now, Vikrant Massey, who won the National Award for Best Actor for 12th Fail, has also entered the world of film production.

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Bollywood Production Houses See Major Stake Sales

At the moment, Bollywood seems to be witnessing two completely contrasting waves. On one side are large production houses that once possessed assets worth billions, but today are gradually being sold off. Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions now has Adar Poonawalla as a stakeholder. 29 percent of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s company has already been sold. On January 5, 2026, Universal Music India acquired 30 percent stake in Excel Entertainment, the production company of Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani. And early in the morning of February 3, 2026, news broke that Jio Studios had acquired 50.01 percent stake in Sikhya Entertainment, owned by Guneet Monga and Achit Jain.

Amid these developments, discussions about Bollywood’s fragile financial health have intensified. Films are consistently failing at the box office, and the industry’s economic stability appears shaky.

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On the other hand, a new brigade of actors—including Meera Chopra and Vikrant Massey—is emerging. These are artists who are no longer just reading scripts but are also signing cheques. After Meera Chopra, Vikrant Massey has now stepped in as a co-producer, backing the film Musafir Cafe.

This raises important questions. Have actors lost faith in producers? Have they accumulated so much wealth from acting that they now feel confident investing in film production themselves? Some critics even label this trend as “criminal wastage of money,” pointing to the poor performance of Gandhi Talks as an example. The larger concern is whether these actor-producers are also falling into the same blind race as big production houses—neglecting content and storytelling in the process.

Over the past few years, major studios—once the backbone of Hindi cinema—have suffered massive losses. Corporate structures and high-budget flops have weakened their foundations.

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Vikrant Massey’s Rise from TV to National Award

Vikrant Massey began his career in 2007 with television and gained popularity as Shyam Singh in the Colors TV serial Balika Vadhu. He made his Bollywood debut in 2013 with Lootera, starring Ranveer Singh and Sonakshi Sinha. Films such as Dil Dhadakne Do, Half Girlfriend, Cargo, and Haseen Dillruba followed, but none truly established him as a star. That changed dramatically with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, which turned Vikrant Massey into a household name and earned him the National Award for Best Actor.

Following the massive success of 12th Fail, Vikrant Massey briefly made headlines by announcing his retirement from films—only to retract the statement soon after. Now, he has taken a decisive step forward by co-producing Musafir Cafe, in which he also stars alongside Vedika Pinto and Mahima Makwana. The film is directed by Ruchir Arun.

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This project is more than just another film—it is Vikrant Massey’s statement that content is king, and that actors want to protect the stories they believe in.

Written by Divya Prakash Dubey, Musafir Cafe is a tender love story that grows deeper through its warm, realistic characters—Chandar, Sudha, and Preeti. Three travelers whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. Chandar and Sudha share an instant, electric connection—one that is impossible to ignore. Meanwhile, Chandar forms a steady, comforting relationship with Preeti, built on understanding and companionship. In a journey filled with romance, passion, and possibility, the film asks: Which love will endure the tests of time, ambition, and life’s long journey?

Speaking about the film, Vikrant Massey says: “We are all made of love stories. Some we seek, some we stumble upon, some take us on journeys, and some make us brave. The greatest journeys bring us closer to our truest desires. Musafir Cafe invites you to pause in the mountains, sip freshly brewed coffee, and experience a little magic.”

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