VIKRANT MASSEY—THE NEW INDIE FILM HERO TO WATCH OUT FOR

In an industry that is subject to conformity and nepotism, it can be extremely tough for newcomers and outsiders to make a mark. But that makes it all the more important to acknowledge such talent that lies outside the Bollywood lineage. Vikrant Massey is one such actor—an outsider, who is slowly becoming the definition of the kind of cinema audiences are craving.

The three most talked about films in the last two months—Half Girlfriend, A Death in the Gunj, and the yet-to-be-released Lipstick Under My Burkha—have just one constant despite their vastly different subject matters, and that is Massey.

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The actor is suddenly everywhere, from films to television and even commercials. But this transition from being a television star, to a sidekick and finally a lead actor has been a long one.

Regardless of how it might seem to the audience, he has bagged just one role—that of Shutu in A Death in the Gunj—as a protagonist in his 14-year-long career. “It’s been a very long journey and people have been immensely kind, they’re not tired of watching me on television for a decade, they want to see more of me,” the 30-year-old actor had said in an interview to livemint.com. And this statement couldn't be truer.

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Vikrant transitioned from a glowing television career, with shows like Dhoom Machao Dhoom, Dharam Veer, and Balika Vadhu, to films with the critically acclaimed Lootera.

According to an interview given to a leading daily, this is the film that made Vikrant stand out for Konkana. She had loved his performance. Post that they ended up working together in Lipstick Under My Burkha, where they don't really share screen space but the film helped cement Konkana Sen's opinion of Massey and led to him being cast for his first lead role.

Her selection of Massey as a lead for her directorial debut speaks volumes of his potential. As the script demanded a quiet and reserved boy, one who is not a macho hunk with six pack abs but one who weeps silently at night, the actor fit the bill perfectly.  It was about a troubled, tormented boy in his early twenties who had unresolved issues, and he performed the act with élan.

Just about a month ago, Vikrant was seen in the high profile Half Girlfriend. Prior to that he was cast by Zoya Akhtar for Dil Dhadakne Do. But roles like these were leading to him getting typecast as the "hero ka friend", a sidekick. A Death in the Gunj broke that spell.

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Vikrant stands out among the sea of actors who have been gracing the silver screen recently, and he might soon become the Indie film darling, giving tough competition to the likes of Rajkummar Rao and Vicky Kaushal.

But he clearly has a long way to go. In a recent interview, Rajeev Masand kept calling him Vikram instead of Vikrant, that too in the presence of Konkana. That just goes on to show how much harder he needs to work to create a space for himself in the industry.

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With Bollywood being one of the biggest forms of entertainment in our country, seeing the same actors on screen repeatedly can lead to fatigue and boredom. It is this monotony that actors like Vikrant Massey are breaking by bringing a new perspective to films and hopefully changing the course of this industry.

The actor will next be seen in Lipstick Under My Burkha, which releases this Friday (July 21).