MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA has seen a good run at the box office without really breaking out to more areas outside NCR, Punjab, Mumbai city and Bangalore. NCR and Punjab is down to the regional flavor and other two do well with gentry films. The film is going to end up with similar business to 12TH FAIL (2023) but that film was a HIT and MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA will not be. These films are basically down to budgets as they never reach much of the audience.

Its actually pretty weird that the writers and media raves and even the industry sees them as the better films but in real world around you, not many have seen or even know about them. This is why these films can be commercial HITS (budget to box office) but never HITS for the public. For commercial hit, it comes down to the budget and the budget of MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA is three times of 12TH FAIL which is the problem. The budget of the film is more than a SATYAPREM KI KATHA and almost as much as TERI BAATON MEIN AISA ULJHA JIYA and will not do as much business as these films. No doubt even non theatrical will be less than these but that does not come into the equation for theatrical success.

MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA has done extremely well to get this 47 crore nett mark so far from a 1 crore nett start and this would have looked phenomenal before the pandemic. But post pandemic, we have seen MAHAVATAR NARSIMHA and THE KASHMIR FILES and compared to them, this trend is nothing. Basically due to the budget, the film needed to start at 2-3 crore nett and then find this appreciation from the areas where it has been liked.

Post the pandemic, there have been three of these much raved about films (12TH FAIL, LAAPATAA LADIES, MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA) and within the industry, you sort of understand now why they are talked about so much as films are watched in a different way from a regular watcher. But its 2026 and you would think the rest, be it media or social media, will be more reflective of the wider society but that's not the case.

For the record 12TH FAIL was a HIT, LAAPATAA LADIES was a FLOP and MAIN VAAPAS AAUNGA may turn out to be AVERAGE.

Charming and full of energy, Varun Dhawan brings his infectious sense of humour to the latest episode of the Bombay Times Lounge driven by Jeep. But beyond the laughs, the actor — whose latest release, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, directed by David Dhawan, hit theatres on Friday — reveals a more reflective side as he opens up about the dangers of chasing perceptions, the pressures of fame, and why staying true to yourself matters more than ever. A conversation that’s equal parts entertaining and insightful — much like Varun himself. Watch the full episode on the Bombay Times YouTube channel.

My dad always told us, ‘I never went in to make comedy films. Main entertainer bana raha tha. Main logon ko entertain karna chahta tha. Usme romance tha, emotion tha, drama bhi tha, thoda sa action bhi tha. Aur uss mein logon ko hasaa bhi raha tha. But unn emotions ke bagair, those films would not be what they were. People and maybe critics back then, labelled them as comedy, but actually they were wholesome entertainers’.

Recently, at the David Dhawan Film Festival, where they showcased Aankhen, so many of us sat together and watched the film on the big screen — it was still so entertaining and magical. The comedy is not forced, it’s not gaggy... ki yaar, yeh trend mein hai, bolenge toh yeh chalega. It’s very close to real things that happen around us. I believe comedy is basically about capturing the nuances of real life and maybe magnifying them a little bit.

Yes, I was told by a very popular director back then that, ‘I wanted to cast you in a film, but I feel the kind of cinema you’re doing, you can only do that. But you should not do such cinema.’

Yes!

At one point, we thought that he wouldn’t direct a film again because his health was down. So, Rohit (brother), my mom and I, felt he should not direct a film. He was going through a very low phase, and I remember Anil Kapoor, telling me, ‘You have to let your father get back on the sets. He has spent more time on the set than he has spent at home. His home is the set and behind the camera. We are built differently, Varun. Humne bahut kaam kiya hai, so unko khushi agar usme mil rahi hai, let him do it and as a son support him.’ Anil uncle has a similar work ethic, so I understood what he said and that made me think about it a lot. Rohit was a little bit more hesitant to let him direct again, but we knew we had to support him.

I think no one comes prepared to deal with the ups and downs in their life. I’ve had my share of ups and downs and my moments of weakness. But what I have learnt is — you have to move on and take the next step. You can dwell over it and feel bad for yourself. You can play victim, but how long will you play victim? This is something that my dad always tells me — move on, take the next step, you have to take the next step. There’s no point sitting and blaming people for your sorrows and think…ki I’m here because usne mere saath yeh kiya, ya yeh hua mere saath. Arre bhai, tumhari bhi thodi galti toh hogi na? So, introspect, take the learnings and move on. Blaming anyone is not going to get you anywhere.

What is number one? It means you’re better than someone. There’s always going to be someone better than you. Someone will come along and something will change. My idea is to just do my work in the best way possible and enjoy the journey. There was a time when we were all being brought up in that very individualistic mindset. I myself have moved away from it a little bit. I was running too fast and sometimes when you do that, you forget which direction you are running in.

It’s addictive.

The lonely moments that you spend with yourself. When you’re all alone in your van, when you’re all alone in your house — those are the lonely moments. Actors’ lives are very lonely, and this is something which I always discuss. I would say most actors are lonely.

Luckily, from the beginning, I kind of dropped the façade. I am what you see. I can’t keep pretending, because I feel my mental health will go for a toss and I will burst somewhere. I mean, if you see my earlier interviews, I was even more moohfat. Abhi thoda sa conscious ho rahe hain log because of social media and all that. But kya hi hone wala hai? Kya hi kar denge? Cancel kar denge? After a point, you’ve just got to be yourself, whether it’s good or bad — at least you’re yourself. Otherwise after some time, you won’t even know who you are.

I feel that bringing people to come and buy the ticket is tough today. You can make a good film, and many good films are being made, but not all of them make money. It’s not like we are not making good films. I saw Superboys Of Malegaon aur mujhe bahut acchi lagi. I loved Laapataa Ladies and 12th Fail; the movie was also a hit, but it could have made even more money given that it was such a good film. Then there is a film like Dhurandhar, which is an entertaining film, it has stars and everything comes together and it does well. So, it’s possible, but not easy. It was never easy.

Driven by: Jeep

Location courtesy: Luuma House

It takes years to move from paper to screen. For Amol Parashar’s The Bureaucrat, the wait from first hearing the script to going on floors stretched to about two years. “A filmmaker friend, who had read the story, suggested I do the show. He introduced me to Abhishek [Dhandharia, producer], but logistical issues kept delaying it,” shares the actor. Dhandharia reconnected with him six months ago when it was finally greenlit.

The idea of a civil services aspirant-turned-conman was too tempting for Parashar. “Shiddat se likhi hui cheezein, thode kam aate hain,” smiles the actor, adding that the pieces of the story fit well on paper, which got him “excited about the character.”

Aware that there is no dearth of stories centred around the UPSC — Aspirants, now in its third season, and Vikrant Massey’s 12th Fail (2023) — Parashar is confident his show stands apart, as it uses civil services only as a backdrop.

“UPSC [Union Public Service Commission] is a big part of our culture. The Bureaucrat is different from 12th Fail or Aspirants. Although the backdrop is UPSC, the texture, genre, and flow of events is fresh. It’s more of a conman story,” he says, adding that the shoot will wrap up in 20 days.

Amol Parashar confirms he wrapped up ‘Gram Chikitsalay 2’ before starting work on ‘The Bureaucrat’. “We shot in Madhya Pradesh this time. For season one, we shot in Chhattisgarh. We have onboarded a new director.”

From television breakout to National Award-winning lead, Vikrant Massey has redefined the “outsider” success story. The 12th Fail star recently sat down with the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) in Hyderabad to discuss his transition to films and the widespread acclaim following his 71st National Film Award win.

Money was the reason I stepped out of my home at the age of 16. My goal then was simple – to earn for education, a home, and eventually Rs. 1 lakh a month. I grew up in Andheri Versova, where all the shootings used to happen. I was one of those kids standing in a crowd, watching Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, and Sanjay Dutt shoot from the sidelines. I was fascinated by the lights, the walkie-talkies, and people running around with scripts.

Despite making a mark on TV with shows like Balika Vadhu, I faced skepticism when he transitioned to films. There was this unfortunate preconceived notion that TV actors can’t act. That was the first sting, the first jab I took on my chin. It honestly surprised me, because I felt these people didn’t know where actors like Naseeruddin Shah, Shah Rukh Khan, Om Puri, Irrfan Khan came from. Some of the greatest stalwarts came from television. Amid many challenges, one thing I always felt very strongly, and still continue to hold on to, is that what I do in front of the camera, between action and cut, is what matters the most.

Today, with 21 years of experience, I can honestly say that people who are sitting at a certain stature are there because of the quality of work and dedication. Success doesn’t come easily; you have to work relentlessly for it. For every role, I must perform and position myself as a strong contender. Yes, there is that insider-outsider divide, but it’s only up until access.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra sir told me very honestly, ‘I want to make a theatrical film, but OTT gives you Vikrant Massey for free — why would anyone come to see you in a theatre?’ That was brutal, but it was true. I was very lucky to be part of 12th Fail. People didn’t see the story of an IPS officer; they started seeing themselves. I would quietly enter theatres in the final minutes, sit in the last row and watch people completely immersed. Once, an elderly man sitting next to me started weeping, his chest was shaking, and he held my hand very tightly. That was the moment I realised I had done something that would last.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra watched the restored version of 1942: A Love Story with veteran screenwriter Kamna Chandra at IFFI, who has also written films like Chandni, and said, “Pehli baar 1942: A Love Story maine aisi dekhi hai jaisa maine socha tha. Uss waqt colour correction hota nahi tha.” 

A day later, during a session titled Unscripted - The Art and Emotion of Filmmaking, Vidhu Vinod Chopra spoke about his films, struggles and with his long time collaborator Abhijat Joshi.

When Abhijat Joshi asked him how his filmmaking style has changed over the last five decades, he said that 1942: A Love Story he can’t make the film now.

He said, “I saw it yesterday for the first time in 8K resolution in the theatre here. But that’s a movie I can’t make anymore. I made it then because I was in love with the woman I married, and that love shows in the movie. For an artist, the right thing is to represent what he’s going through in his work. So my films reflect what I see and feel (at that point) in life. Every film reflects who I am at that point. I was angry when I made Parinda. You can see that violence in the movie. Today I’m calmer.”

He added, “So that film was made at that time because that is who I was. And 12th Fail… when I see the level of corruption in our system, it was a reaction to that. Because, you know, I am personally sick and tired of the level of corruption. I’m sure everybody is trying to make sure that it calms down a bit. But 12th Fail was my attempt at saying, ‘Let’s be honest for a change’. I told Abhijat when I made the film - even if I can convert 1% population, 1% bureaucracy, 1% political system to work honestly instead of dishonestly, I would have succeeded. I react to times. An artist is not independent of the times he lives in. I’m a reflection of society. What I see, my cinema says that, and it says it in that particular style. You cannot impose the Parinda style on 12th Fail or 1942.”

When someone from the audience said she doesn’t understand when people ask her to think commercially about a story, he responded, “How to make the film commercially - even I don’t understand what that means. Meri jo dharmpatni hai, woh jaanti hai cinema ke baare mein. Unhone kaha - ‘Vinod, tu theatre mein mat laga 12th Fail. Teri aur Vikrant ki film dekhne koi nahi jayega.’ Saat mahine tak film theatre mein thi.”

Sharing an incident about how an OTT platform refused to buy 12th Fail, he said, “One of them said - ‘aise log toh ab hain hi nahi.’ Maine kaha - ‘ek toh tumhare saamne hai, main toh hoon.’”

Giving parting advice to the FTII students who were sharing their difficulties, he recited a line from a song in 1942, “Ye safar bahut hai kathin magar… na udaas ho mere humsafar.”

“When Parinda was to be released, all the distributors got together and brought 11 lakhs in cash. They said, ‘We will give you 11 lakhs,’ at a time when I didn’t have money to eat dinner. And they said, ‘Please don’t kill Anil and Madhuri; kill Jackie Shroff. And we will give you 11 lakhs.’ And I said, I can’t do that, because what I’m saying in the film is that violence begets violence. So I cannot change that.”

“There’s a shot - when Manisha is running - kyun naye lag rahe hain ye dharti gagan. When you see this shot, you will see that she is running on a mountaintop, and there are birds on top. Those birds are not digital. There were no birds on that mountain. And I wanted birds. I said, I want the sky full of birds. They said birds don’t come that high. Sanjay Leela Bhansali was my assistant on that film. I said, I need birds. Those guys went at night and spread breadcrumbs on that mountaintop. Because of those breadcrumbs, the birds came. When I saw the birds yesterday, I said, ‘My God. Birds.’ That’s the level of pursuit of excellence. And those birds give me so much joy, 35 years later. It moves me how hard we worked. That is the joy of life.”

--------------------------------------------------------

"If I say I have 20 crore now, tomorrow I’ll have 200 crore and I will make a film - what joy is there in that? Beyond your basic needs, money is the same. It’s the same cup of tea I’m drinking that I drank 35 years back. The point is - if the pursuit of excellence drives you then there is joy."

--------------------------------------------------------

“The joy comes from honesty, in whatever you’re doing - whether you’re a filmmaker, a writer, a politician, a bureaucrat. The joy comes from honestly pursuing whatever you’re pursuing. So I would request all of you- it’s difficult, but it’s a very happy path. Take it.”

Actor Anshuman Jha, who recently made his directorial debut with Lord Curzon Ki Haveli, believes the film’s biggest strength lies in its casting featuring Arjun Mathur, Rasika Dugal, Paresh Pahuja and Zoha Rahman. “Even an average film with the right cast can do better numbers because people relate to the characters,” he says.

Recounting how this belief has guided his career choices, Jha reveals he once turned down a role in Half Girlfriend (2017), the movie based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel of the same name, starring Arjun Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor.

He says, “I was offered the part that Vikrant Massey eventually did [he played Madhav’s (Arjun Kapoor’s) friend Shailesh] but I said no. Vikrant and I even spoke about it. I told him that he should have been the lead in that film, then I would have done that role.”

Jha goes on to defend his stance with conviction. “12th Fail (2023) wouldn’t have been the success it is if it had the same lead as Half Girlfriend. Vikrant brought an honesty that made 12th Fail what it is. Vidhu Vinod Chopra sir’s conviction to take it to theatres helped it reach people because it had the right actor in the right role.”

New Delhi: It was a night of star power and cinematic pride at Vigyan Bhawan on Tuesday as President Droupadi Murmu honoured stalwarts of Indian cinema at the 71st National Film Awards.

The spotlight, however, belonged to Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, while Bollywood icons Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji and Vikrant Massey walked away with top honours in acting categories.

Mohanlal, already decorated with the Padma Shri (2001) and Padma Bhushan (2019), was visibly moved as he accepted Indian cinema’s highest recognition. “I am deeply humbled to be the youngest recipient and only the second ever from Kerala. This moment is not mine alone, it belongs to the entire Malayalam film fraternity,” he said. Sharing the honour with colleagues, he added: “I never dared to dream of this moment. It feels magical, it feels sacred.”

President Murmu presented the award to Mohanlal amid a thunderous standing ovation. Fellow superstar Mammootty called him “a true artist who has lived and breathed cinema,” while Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised him as someone who “epitomizes excellence and versatility.”

In perhaps the most Bollywood-dominated edition of the awards, Shah Rukh Khan won his first National Award for Best Actor in over two decades for his blockbuster ‘Jawan’. “This award is a blessing. ‘Jawan’ was a film made from the heart, and I dedicate this to every fan who has stood by me through the years,” Shah Rukh said.

Actor Vikrant Massey, who shared the Best Actor award with Shah Rukh for ‘12th Fail’, credited director Vidhu Vinod Chopra for his journey. Rani Mukerji was honoured as Best Actress for ‘Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway’. “This film was about the power of a mother’s fight. This recognition belongs to every woman who has faced injustice and refused to give up,” Rani told mediapersons.

The Evening reflected cinema’s diversity: ‘Kathal—A Jackfruit Mystery’ was named Best Hindi Film, Sudipto Sen won Best Director for ‘The Kerala Story’, while Shilpa Rao took home Best Female Playback Singer for Chaleya from ‘Jawan’.

The 71st National Film Awards couldn’t have gotten starrier than this. Superstar Shah Rukh Khan won his first National Award in his 33-year career for his double role in Jawan (2023). The actor shared the honour with Vikrant Massey, who won it for 12th Fail (2023). Bollywood entertainers seemed to dominate the awards as Rani Mukerji took home the Best Actress award for Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway (2023).

On the one hand, Khan’s fans saw the win as overdue, considering his restrained act in Swades (2004) was overlooked by the National Film Awards jury 20 years ago. On the other hand, some social media users called the Jawan win “laughable” and “a joke”.

The Best Director award went to Sudipto Sen for The Kerala Story (2023) — a win that will presumably be debated over the next few days. The movie, which centred on the alleged coerced religious conversion of Malayali women, was widely criticized. An elated Sen called the win “validating”.

He told mid-day, “I would’ve been even happier if the film had also taken the top honour, but this recognition validates everything we set out to express through The Kerala Story.”

With Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani winning the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, co-writer Ishita Moitra told mid-day, “It’s Karan Johar’s [filmmaker] hard work and love that shines in this film.”

The film also won Vaibhavi Merchant the Best Choreography award. She learnt about the win when we called her. “This is overwhelming. You’ve broken the news to me,” said a surprised Merchant. 

Deepak Kingrani, who bagged the Best Dialogue award for Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, said, “This win is important as [it gives us] courage to write and producers to pump money in such films.”

New Delhi: Hindi cinema dominated the 71st National Film Awards on Friday with superstar Shah Rukh Khan winning his career’s first best actor award for ‘Jawan’ alongside Vikrant Massey for ‘12th Fail’, which was also named the best feature film.

Rani Mukerji won the best actress honour for ‘Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway’, her first award. The awards for 2023 were announced by jury head Ashutosh Gowariker. He said Shah Rukh had delivered a “powerhouse performance, balancing raw intensity and emotional depth, and bringing to life a hero who fights not just the enemy, but societal boundaries, creating two unforgettable cinema personas”.

Sudipto Sen won the best director award for ‘The Kerala Story’, which also got the cinematography prize. It had sparked a row for its portrayal of women being converted and recruited by ISIS. ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ was the best popular film .

Rani Mukerji, who has clinched the National award for best actress, said, “I’m overwhelmed. For me, this award is also a validation of my 30-year body of work, my dedication to my craft with which I feel a deeply spiritual connection and my passion for cinema and this beautiful film industry.”

‘Jawan’, which minted over Rs 1,100 crore at box office worldwide, was a highoctane thriller from filmmaker Atlee and featured SRK in the dual role of Army officer Vikram Rathore and his jailor son Azad.

The jury praised Massey’s performance as one that portrayed the transformative journey of a village boy with “raw honesty and emotional depth”. In a statement, Massey (38), said it was a dream come true moment for him.

Meghna Gulzar’s ‘Sam Bahadur’ was recognized as the best film promoting national, social and environmental values and won the award in the make-up & costume category.

Vaibhavi Merchant won the best choreography award for ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’ song ‘Dhindhora Baaje’, while Shilpa Rao was named best female playback singer for ‘Jawan’ track ‘Chaleya’. Sanya Malhotra-starrer ‘Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery’ was named the best Hindi film.

While Hindi cinema ruled in the main categories, regional movies were recognized in categories such as best supporting actor as well as actress and in technical segments.

Best Film in AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming & Comic) went to Telugu film ‘Hanu-Man’, which also won the best action direction award. The National Award for best screenplay was shared between Telugu movie ‘Baby’ and ‘Parking’.

Filmmaker Ashish Bende won the best debut film by a director for Aatmapamphlet, a coming-of-age drama that resonated with audiences and the jury alike.

Overwhelmed by the recognition, Bende said, “Getting a national award was always a dream for me, but I did not know that my dream would be realized in my directorial debut. Though it is an award for direction, I feel that it is not a solo award but an award for the entire team of Aatmapamphlet. The film was made during Covid-19 pandemic with a lot of effort, and today all those efforts have paid off.”

Bende will receive the Swarna Kamal for this award.

He added, “The Marathi film industry has along legacy of quality films, and today I feel proud that I am part of this rich tradition. The award will personally encourage me to keep doing quality work.”

In December 2024, Vikrant Massey did what was an anomaly in the cut-throat business of Bollywood — the actor announced that he was taking a break from movies. Expectedly, it sparked shock among his fans and colleagues. Six months on, he is promoting his next, Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan. That has left many confused, who misconstrue that Massey had retired. He begins, “People still ask me, ‘Why did you retire?’”

The actor is amused that his announcement was misunderstood by so many. “Which part of my post did people not understand? Maybe they are not used to seeing actors taking a break, but I want to better myself. I wanted to take that break. I had mentioned in my post that there are two films I’d be working on, one of which was Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan. Two months after announcing my break, I started shooting for it,” he says.

Massey reveals he had turned down many projects leading up to the announcement. “Post 12th Fail [2023] and The Sabarmati Report [2024], a lot of films were coming my way. I can’t do 10 films a year. So, that post was to convey to filmmakers that I needed some time off. Many were shocked to hear a no from me.”

More importantly, slowing down was crucial for the actor’s sanity. With seven releases in the past two years, including successes in 12th Fail and Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba (2024), he felt the need to pause. 

“It was not something I decided overnight. There was a burnout. I wanted to spend time with my family. Also, I [saw] the love coming in from the audience. I want to be worth their time. But when I’m getting burnt out, how can I face the camera and keep repeating the same thing?”

The actor wrapped up Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, co-starring Shanaya Kapoor, in March. White, a biopic on spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, is due to roll only in August, giving him enough time to re-energize himself. So, where does that leave Don 3? “It’s too early to talk about it,” he smiles.

From Vivek Oberoi’s PM Narendra Modi (2019) to Kangana Ranaut’s latest release Emergency, politicians and their journeys have often found a place in Hindi cinema. Now, another biopic is in the works. Mid-day has learnt that a biopic on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is being helmed by Ravindra Gautam, who previously directed the second season of Maharani.

Anant Joshi, seen in 12th Fail (2023) and Kathal: A Jackfruit Mystery (2023), will portray the younger version of Adityanath in the yet-untitled film that will trace how a boy, born as Ajay Singh Bisht in Uttarakhand, became among the most influential figures of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

A source close to the production revealed, “The movie delves deep into Yogi Adityanath’s early years, his spiritual awakening at the Gorakhnath Math, and his eventual rise in politics. Anant’s portrayal captures the inner conflict and drive of a young man seeking purpose.”

In the 1990s, Adityanath left his home and became a disciple of Mahant Avaidyanath, the then-chief of the Gorakhnath Math. He was made the head seer after Avaidyanath’s demise in 2014.

In the movie, Paresh Rawal has been cast as Avaidyanath, Adityanath’s spiritual mentor, whose teachings profoundly influenced his life. The biopic, which rolled last November, has been shot extensively across Uttar Pradesh, including Gorakhpur, the seat of Adityanath’s spiritual and political journey. Currently, the team is filming in Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai.

Another insider adds, “The team also shot at the Guru Nanak Khalsa college last week.  Before that, they conducted a 45-day schedule in north India, filming in Rishikesh and other iconic locations connected to Adityanath’s life. After the Mumbai schedule, it will be a wrap on the project.”

We reached out to Gautam, who did not respond till press time.

Vikrant Massey, who shocked his fans recently by announcing that he will be taking a break from films, had elaborated at a recent conclave, “The life I had always dreamt of, I finally got it, so I thought it was time to live it. I want to take a break because, at the end of the day, everything is transient, which is why I am only doing one film next year. My son was born, and I was not able to spend any quality time with him or my wife. So, I had written in that Instagram post that as an actor, son, father and husband, it was time for me to recalibrate.”

During his recent visit to Ahmedabad, Vikrant spoke to us about choosing to play unconventional characters, extreme fan reactions, fatherhood and more.

Vikrant, who was lauded for his portrayal of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma in 12th Fail, shares, “I was happy with the kind of love 12th Fail got. Fan expectations had risen post that film and I expected the same love for all projects. However, doing a film like The Sabarmati Report gave me a reality check. The same people who had lauded me for 12th Fail and Sector 36 abused me for being a part of this film, which brought me back to reality.”

He adds, “When I was abused and given threats, I realized that for fans, sometimes convenience takes precedence over understanding your character. It was disheartening, but I will always focus on telling the stories that I believe in.”

Be it A Death In The Gunj, Haseen Dillruba, Gaslight, or OTT shows like Mirzapur and Broken But Beautiful, Vikrant has always explored unconventional characters. He says, “It is actually a mix of both-my conscious choice and choosing the kind of work I am offered. When I started my career, I was doing whatever projects were being offered. Somehow, I was always getting roles which were not run-of-the-mill even when I was doing television. But now, it has become my conscious choice to do such projects, as I feel I am meant to do them.”

He adds, “Be it commercial or message-driven films, I choose projects that have archival value. My father watches films that were made 50 years ago. I also want to do films that the upcoming generations would like to watch 50 years later.”

Vikrant and his actress-wife Sheetal Thakur, who got married in 2022, became parents to a baby boy, Vardaan, earlier this year. He tells us, “Fatherhood is the best role of my life (smiles). It is a blessing to be a father, and my son has made me a better person. Coming back home after work and seeing those eyes smiling at you is a feeling which is difficult to describe. Vardaan is the biggest gift of my life.”

Talking about how he deals with the trolls, "I ignore the trolls; comments from faceless people on social media are linked to my profession and I have to get used to it. But it’s disappointing when trolls target your family and loved ones."

Has Vikrant taken a break from OTT now? The actor says, "I haven’t stopped doing OTT projects, but I’m waiting for the right script to make a comeback. If the script is good, I will do that project irrespective of the medium."

Director Vidhu Vinod Chopra has opened up about the international recognition his film 12th Fail has received. The Vikrant Massey-starrer, which became a sleeper hit last year, not only outperformed expectations, but also earned three times its budget. Chopra shared that many in Hollywood have told him the film deserved to be in the Oscar race.

Speaking at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa on Friday, Chopra discussed the trend of thrillers and other genres often getting overlooked at the National Film Awards. He remarked, “Can I tell you one thing? So many people, including folks in Hollywood, have told me that 12th Fail should have represented India at the Oscars, not whatever went.”

India’s official entry for the 2025 Academy Awards is Laapataa Ladies. Last year, it was the Malayalam survival drama 2018, which did not receive a nomination. 12th Fail was not selected by the Film Federation of India to represent India.

Chopra emphasized that he doesn’t prioritize awards, adding, “Say yes or no, do I care? What I care about is — did I make a good film or not? Please don’t give too much importance to awards. They’re for people outside the industry acknowledging you for reasons we don’t know.”

Medha Shankr, who debuted with Gurinder Chadha’s British series ‘Beecham House’ (2019), came into the spotlight with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ‘12th Fail’. Her path to recognition spanned six years, a journey she now divides into “before-12th Fail” and “after-12th Fail”. She looks forward to pushing boundaries and exploring new horizons with every film. In an interview with Bombay Times, she discusses how her life has transformed since the success of ‘12th Fail’. Excerpts:

Medha believes it’s the power of ‘12th Fail’s content that saw the film win box office success and critical acclaim. She says, “The success and love received by the film makes it feel like a true cinematic experience. ‘12th Fail’ may not be star-driven, but it’s driven by acting, direction, and content, and look at what it has achieved.”

She adds, “Times have changed; the audience now prioritizes quality content, storytelling, and acting above anything else. Of course, stars play a massive role in drawing footfalls to the theatres, but ultimately, the story is the real hero.”

Recounting the challenges she encountered while pursuing her dreams in Mumbai, Medha says, “I come from an academically inclined family in Noida and was always a studious child. After completing my Masters in Fashion Management, I ventured into modelling. It was during this time that I decided to pursue acting. When I told my father about it, his initial reaction was, ‘Have you lost your mind?’ He believed that ‘acting mein toh woh jaate hain jo padhai mein kamzor hote hain’. It doesn’t help when you are not from Mumbai as you often hear exaggerated stories about the industry. However, I moved here and started working hard to establish myself. While my mother and brother supported me from the get-go, it took some time for my father to accept my career choice. Today, he is my biggest support.”

Talking about life before and after the success of ‘12th Fail’, Medha says, “People usually associate this achievement with the film’s success, but for me, just landing this part was massive because I knew many big actors were considered and newcomers were auditioned for it. After bagging ‘12th Fail’, I realized someone had finally recognized my potential. Life has taken a 180-degree turn. Big filmmakers I only dreamt of working with are showing faith in me, and no one is asking me to audition. Access to these wonderful opportunities was unthinkable. I have been in Mumbai for almost six years now, I bagged ‘12th Fail’ in the fifth year of my journey here. It wasn’t easy, but I don’t like to call it a struggle. It’s an overused term.”

For Medha, ‘12th Fail’ has been a breakthrough experience in more ways than one – thanks to filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra and her co-star Vikrant Massey. She shares, “Vidhu sir has a knack for portraying his female leads beautifully and Shraddha Joshi (her character in the film) was no exception. I was confident that once people watched the film, they would fall in love with me.”

And they sure did, catapulted her into the spotlight as not just a potential newcomer but as the national crush. “Both Vidhu sir and Vikrant keep telling me, ‘Stay the same, don’t change; this world has the ability to change people’. Vikrant is an incredibly wise person. When I received all this attention as the national crush, I remember him telling me, ‘Medha, just remember that everything is transient and focus on the right things’. That’s such a beautiful thing to say. However, I don’t know any other way to be. I enjoy success but don’t take it too seriously,” she concludes.

Actor Vikrant Massey is among the top contenders for the 70th National Film Award this year for his performance in Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail. The biographical film received positive reviews, and Massey’s portrayal of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, in particular, amassed a lot of love from fans and critics alike. In fact, soon after the film released in December last year, actor Urmila Matondkar and businessman Anand Mahindra took to X and expressed that Massey’s poignant performance merited a National Award.

Ahead of the 2024 National Film Awards’ announcement next month, we ask Massey how his current state of mind is. “Let’s see, I don’t want to jinx it by talking about it too much,” he jokes. 

Humbled by all the praise and encouragement coming his way, Massey states that just being considered worthy of the honour makes him feel proud of his craft. “To be considered [for the award] in a year where many performances stood out and were respected... I think I’m already in the good club, and I’m happy about that,” he shares.

The actor goes on to laud the other commendable performances that are vying for the prestigious award. “There were some incredible performances last year, like what Vicky (Kaushal, actor) did in Sam Bahadur, and the amount of hard work he put in for that role was phenomenal. I know this because Meghna Gulzar (director) is a dear friend of mine,” he continues, “Fahadh’s (Faasil, actor) Aavesham and Prithviraj’s (Sukumaran, actor) Aadujeevitham - The Goat Life were equally good.”

Massey’s co-star from 12th Fail, Medha Shankr, also received appreciation from all quarters for her role as Shraddha Joshi, Kumar’s better half.

ET Intelligence Group: Has the domination of regional films on India's box office collections become near total - and predictable? Going by the numbers, that seems to be the script. The share of box office collections of regional films in India's total box office collection in the past one year has jumped to 56.8% in the June 2024 quarter from 40.3% in the June 2023 quarter.

According to domestic brokerage B&K, the total box office collection-Hindi, regional and Hollywood-increased to Rs. 1,798 crore in the June 2024 quarter from Rs. 1,796 crore in the June 2023 quarter. In the same period, the share of Hindi films in India's total box office collections has dropped to 35.1% from 41.3%.

Ameya Naik, head, Fantasy Films, an event management company said, "Today, Hindi film-makers focus only on business. There is no passion in telling a story. It seems that they have forgotten the art of stirring emotions in audiences. With a few exceptions of 12th Fail and Laapataa Ladies, I don't remember a Hindi film in the past year which stirred me emotionally."

He added, "Hindi film stars not only interfere with the vision of films but they make them economically unviable by charging obscenely high fees."

Komal Nahta, veteran trade analyst, pointed out, "A reason for sub-standard Hindi films could be the easy availability of money in the form of revenue from sale of streaming platforms and other rights in recent years. In most cases, well-known Hindi film banners recover 40-50% of their costs through the sales of these rights."

He added, "Regional film-makers are sincere and earnest in their vision. The vision of directors and writers down the south is sacrosanct and is followed by all. This is the reason why regional films are faring better than Hindi."

Naik of Fantasy Films said, "Today, audiences are interested only in engaging films irrespective of their language, budget or even whether they are headlined by stars. A prominent example is the noteworthy success of a small-budget Hindi film Munjya. I don't believe in this myth that audiences do not want to come out of their homes for entertainment. If they were glued to their personal screens, then how do you explain the massive crowd which greeted the victory parade of the Indian cricket team in South Mumbai? Audiences just want a compelling reason to watch a film, which Hindi film-makers are not providing."

There are bound to be jitters when it’s your first film. But for debutant director Devang Bhavsar, it has also been accompanied by a year-long wait. With Blackout slated to drop on Jio Cinema this week, Bhavsar says, “It has been a long wait to release the film. The nature of this industry keeps changing. Sometimes, a direct-to-web release is the norm, and at other times, a theatrical release before OTT is expected.”

Regardless of the medium, he is eager to see Blackout reach the audience. The comedy thriller—starring Vikrant Massey, Mouni Roy and Sunil Grover—follows the protagonist as he chances upon a car loaded with gold and cash, thus setting off a chain of events. For the director, who made his way into films through ads and production, it’s a big moment.

“I have been working for 13 years. It wasn’t easy getting to this point. I’m lucky that I got amazing actors like Vikrant sir and Sunil sir. After Vikrant sir read the script, he encouraged us to do multiple readings to crack the character’s tone. Sunil sir is an improvisation king.”

Blackout marks Massey’s first release after the stupendous success of 12th Fail (2023) that turned his career around. Does the director feel the pressure of coming on the back of last year’s gem?

“It is a big deal. In whatever way the stars have aligned, it will benefit this film. Vikrant sir is an even more known face now. People now see him as Vikrant bhaiyya. There is a little pressure to live up to that movie. But my film is a different world altogether. I also believe that a film needs to be entertaining regardless of the genre. When Vikrant sir first saw the [rushes], he said, ‘You promised me an entertaining film, and you have delivered.” The jitters are natural, but I’m confident that people will enjoy it.”

It’s interesting that Bhavsar’s comedy thriller arrives when a heist comedy like Crew and a laugh-riot like Madgaon Express are faring well.

“I hadn’t even thought of that when I wrote the film. It was a balanced story on paper. But my actors made it more of a comedy than a thriller. Humans are grey, and their decisions and reactions are comical. The films that have repeat value are always those that make you laugh.”

It might be the best phase yet in Vikrant Massey’s life, personally and professionally. His film 12th Fail (2023) crossed the 25-week mark recently. The actor’s next, The Sabarmati Report, where he plays a journalist, is already generating great buzz. And the cherry on the cake was Massey welcoming his son Vardaan, earlier this year.

“The last six months have been quite eventful. The success of 12th Fail, wrapping up The Sabarmati Report and it being touted as a much-anticipated release — and then fatherhood. I can easily say that I’m going through an incredible purple patch,” the actor tells us.

12th Fail becoming the first film in 23 years to enjoy a silver jubilee run in theatres was undeniably the happiest moment for the team. The 37-year-old recalls, “I got a call from Vinod sir (Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the film’s director) about the news, and I celebrated this achievement with my family. It’s an unprecedented feat in modern cinema.”

Massey is also aware of how the success of 12th Fail has opened him up to huge expectations hereon, and can already feel the jitters ahead of his next. “It can also be unnerving, this pressure to go out there and meet expectations again. In the back of your head, you know you cannot replicate 12th Fail or any success. You have to start afresh, so I am starting afresh with my next slate of films,” says Massey, who will be seen next in Yaar Jigri, Phir Aayi Haseen Dillruba and Sector 36.

The actor, who’s starred in films such as A Death In The Gunj (2017), Ramprasad ki Tehrvi (2019), Chhapaak (2020) and Haseen Dillruba (2021), wants more films made on “real and rooted” stories.

Last year’s surprise hit 12th Fail recently completed 25 weeks of its theatrical run, a feat not seen in Bollywood for 23 years since Gadar in 2001. And actor Medha Shankr, who played actor Vikrant Massey’s love interest in the Vidhu Vinod Chopra directorial, couldn’t be more elated.

“It’s unbelievable. It is a remarkable feat for any film,” says Shankr, adding that the team had a mini celebration at a theatre recently. “We were given certificates saying ‘25 weeks’, a cake was cut and there were posters all around,” she recalls.

The film proved a game-changer for the actor, who played a younger version of IRS officer Shraddha Joshi Sharma. “I can clearly demarcate my life before and after 12th Fail. I now have access to filmmakers that I have only dreamed of working with. Because of this film’s success and my performance, big filmmakers have faith in me now. 12th Fail has become a gift that keeps on giving,” says Shankr.

It isn’t just the film’s impressive theatrical run, but its streaming release that awakened Shankr to the staggering popularity she has amassed over the past months. “It was after its OTT release, that I could sense what success felt like. Whenever I step out, people want pictures, and my Instagram has blown up,” gushes the 27-year-old, whose follower count has spiked from 16K to 2M.

With Animal, which was a more commercial project with a more massy subject releasing around the same time as 12th Fail, actor Triptii Dimri, too, experienced a similar graph of popularity and acclaim. 

Ask Shankr how much commercial subjects appeal to her, and she says: “I want my trajectory to have a balance of both. I don’t believe that any commercial film has to be devoid of a good script or acting. So, I would love to do commercial cinema — there isn’t a fight between that and art films. I am very keen on doing both.”