New Delhi: The biographical drama ‘12th Fail’ directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra is one of the finest movies of 2023. It’s based on the true tale of Manoj Kumar Sharma (played by Vikrant Massey), an Indian who rose from abject poverty to become an officer in the Indian Police Service and is based on the 2019 non-fiction book of the same name by Anurag Pathak. The film’s surprising popularity is a testament to its artistic value and the skill of its creators. Now, in an exclusive chat with ABPLive, the leading actor Vikrant Massey discussed the film and its process.
Here are some excerpts from Vikrant Massey’s interview:
Did you have the idea that ‘12th Fail’ would do so well in theatre?
I had the idea. A lot of your confidence comes from the director and the producer actually. When you have someone as fearless as Vidhu Vinod Chopra backing you, the doubt fades. We knew we made a good but we didn’t anticipate the amount of love it would get.
Vidhu Vinod is one of the celebrated filmmakers. Share your experience working with him.
He’s an incredible person. His aura and personality are amazing. We have heard a lot of stories about him that he gets angry and doesn’t compromise on perfection. It is all true. He wears his heart on his sleeves. He’s so passionate and true filmmaker and I’m so honoured to have worked with him.
We are so like-minded. We handled each other because our worldviews and our struggles were also similar. I want to share this anecdote with you. Vidhu Vinod Chpra told me, “Vikrant dekh tu OTT actor hai. Mai tere saath film kisi bharose pe bana raha hu. Kal ko meri film koi theatre mein aake nhi bhi dekhega naa, I want you to be rest assured that I am very proud of what you have done in the film.”
You have convincingly played Manoj’s character in ‘12th Fail’. Is there anything that you are taking away from the character?
Yeah, I’m taking a lot. One of the reasons why I took up this character is because it is the closest character that I’ve ever played. I resonated with the character because it’s very close to my own life or the person I am. I have spent 2 years in this film, so automatically it becomes a part of you.
I want to become like Manoj sir. The honesty he has in his life is something I want to retain.
Did any part of the film resonate in any way with your life?
It kind of stuck with me. Before the script, I read the book and many times I cried inconsolably while reading. It was because somewhere I could resonate it with my past and struggles. I saw my thinking and value system in the book.
Can you recall any interesting story from Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi?
There’s a dichotomy between Hindi medium and English medium background. It’s an unfortunate truth. Their rent also varies.
The amount of time I spent with the students, understanding their backgrounds, their socio-economic backgrounds and why they want to join services is incredible. Cracking UPSC is not an easy task. If we talk about statistics, only 0.16% of people get the job. If 7 lakh people have applied, only 970 people got the job. Nearly 85% of them come from socially and economically challenged backgrounds. They only want to go to civil services to make a change in society. This kind of patriotism in them really inspired me.
At what point in your career did you realise, “This is what I do for a living?”
I always wanted to be an actor. The idea was to complete the graduation, then theatre and then start acting at the age of 24-25. I started off very early because of certain reasons. I had to support my family financially and my own education. And, I am glad I did that.
When I did television for 7 years straight, I realised that this is my life. I love telling stories and playing characters that resonate with people. So, I’m glad I act for a living.
Are you satisfied with the kind of roles that you’re getting?
Yes, I’m very satisfied. I’m very happy. There is a lot that I want to still do. There are so many different parts that I still want to play. But, I am extremely grateful and proud of certain things that I’ve done. You look back in retrospect, you you probably feel that you’ve done a decent job. The idea is to move on from here and try to get better.
On the personal front, Vikrant Massey and his wife Sheetal Thakur are ecstatic about their first pregnancy. Here’s how Vikrant explained his feelings about becoming a father.