Vikrant Massey is on cloud nine. The actor has just received his first National Award for his work in the movie 12th Fail. Massey shared the Best Actor National Award with Shah Rukh Khan, who won it for his performance in Jawan. NDTV's Sikta Deo catches up with Vikrant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, two days after the biggest day of his career, for an interview.
When asked about how he felt after winning the National Award alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, Vikrant said, "We are all happy for ourselves and for each other. Rani ma'am and Shah Rukh Khan sir were really proud of me, they were genuinely happy for me, and I wish them all the very best."
He added, "In that moment, they were not Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji, the icons for me. I just saw a boy from Delhi who dreamt of becoming a successful actor. Even after working for 33 years, he still holds that significance. I was sitting just six feet away from him, and that in itself is proof that he still has it in him to keep growing and bettering himself. The same applies to Rani ji, she has been working for over 30 years. And then there's me, just 21 years into cinema, or perhaps into the world of storytelling. So it was truly a moment I will always cherish."
Asked whether such an achievement brings pressure, Vikrant gently disagreed. "Pressure isn't the right word," he explained. "I'd call it responsibility. With great power comes great responsibility. When you are representing 140 crore people through the medium of cinema and media, you must carry that privilege with care. For me, this is only the beginning, and I hope things only get better from here," Vikrant explained.
On the impact of 12th Fail, Vikrant hopes the film continues to inspire people from all walks of life. "As artists, we are here to entertain, but also to inform and inspire. I'm glad that the film has connected so deeply, whether with industrialists or ordinary people struggling on the streets. I have a few projects lined up. We've completed one phase of White, which is based on the life of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and will begin the next phase soon. It's a universal story, very relevant and important, and I'm excited to bring it out by the second quarter of next year."
Looking ahead, Vikrant is also stepping into new territory. "Yes, I'm doing Dostana 2," he revealed. "It's a full-blown masala entertainer, and I'll be dancing on screen after a very long time. I've never done something like this before, but I really wanted to, and it's shaping up well. I just hope it's worth everyone's time," the actor added.
