Vikrant Massey, who is being applauded for his portrayal of Manoj Kumar Sharma in 12th Fail says he has “mostly chosen human interest stories and played the common man” in films since they resonate with him.

Vikrant, who came to Vadodara at the age of 20, spent a year shooting for the TV show Dharamveer. While in Vadodara, he even got to explore Ahmedabad quite a bit.

He says, “Dharamveer brought me to Vadodara and every time we would get some chutti, we would come to Ahmedabad. The expressway was newly constructed then. We would eat a thali and go around the city. Ahmedabad has a magical vibe to it and I love it.” Vikrant spoke to us when he was in Ahmedabad recently.

I have a natural tendency to pick human stories, the genres might differ, but I like characters I can connect with. I try doing different genres because at the end of it, we are in the business of cinema, but my core interest remains the same – I try to find human stories. Real people's stories resonate with the audience too and I feel there are so many powerful stories and inspiring characters that one can play. These are the kind of stories that hit me hard. I would like to believe that whatever I have today, is a bonus. I was an ordinary guy next door who aspired to find his place in showbiz someday. The love and attention that I have received from people is my biggest reward. So, I want to return all that love in the best way possible which is to represent them on the screen. It is a privilege if I can represent the common man on screen and look relatable.

Vikrant feels it is very challenging to make a film based on a true story and real people. As an actor, "I feel a sense of responsibility while doing such a film." Also, "I am not someone who plans too much in advance. I am a firm believer in the fact that you cannot plan an outcome. Most times, you can only go out and do your best. Some people say that I want to become a star, but I always say that success or stardom is a byproduct of good work. If your work is good and you are consistent enough, success will follow you."

Our definition of romance has also evolved over the years and it changes every decade. What we felt was outstanding cinema 10 years ago seems borderline cringe now. It might also be because of our access to international cinema and OTT platforms. Both have changed the way we see and make films. Entertainment has become more global, we see new genres and formats of storytelling today.

I haven’t done many romantic films so far, because I haven’t got those many exciting scripts. Sometimes I feel like I want to tell common man stories of struggles, hopes, and triumphs more than I’d like to play a loverboy, but I am not averse to doing love stories. I am open to doing some interesting love stories.

Television is very daunting and challenging. One of the reasons why I joined a TV show rather than doing theatre is because I wanted to learn on the go. You are making five episodes in seven days so there is very little margin for error as you are given far less time. Doing a web series is almost like making three films at the same time. Different mediums require different approaches, but for actors, it’s a bit easier to straddle different mediums. I love watching myself on the big screen. There are certain points where you love the longer format of storytelling as an actor as you can have an in-depth analysis and dissect your character. I would choose movies and web series any day over TV now.

I am taking a paternity leave as I have been shooting most of this year. I want to cut down on the number of days I am away from home. Spending nearly 250 days a year away from home is a little too much for me, and I have done it for far too long. Now I want to put my feet up and spend time with my Sheetal (Thakur, his wife) and my family, but you never know - if something really exciting is offered, I might just change my mind.