No No No!!! Can I please skip this day and pretend like it never happened? This morning was truly a terrifying one for people like me who are regional cinema fans and if you’re not living under a rock, you would know why. Vikrant Massey just announced his retirement from acting. To be honest, I’m still in denial and praying for it to be some kind of a prank. But, I guess it’s not. This Monday morning the actor took his Instagram to announce his retirement as an actor. We were not ready for this, not at least this soon.
Why Vikrant? Why? Vikrant Massey- the underrated king of Bollywood will no longer serve us with those tear-you-apart and authentic performances. The actor showed us what genuine acting is. In the glamorous world of Bollywood where it’s all about larger-than-life pictures, Vikrant Massey was one guy who made you believe in the actor even if you didn’t believe in the story. You knew there would be some outstanding performance or plot line if you’ve Vikrant Massey in it. At the age of 37, it is way too soon to quit your career or take a break from it. It’s not as if Bollywood is thriving of actors like him. No, it’s not. Vikrant Massey who started as a television actor and emerged as the gem of OTT left people’s hearts broken with his decision.
The actor in his Instagram post wrote, “The last few years and beyond have been phenomenal. I thank each and every one of you for your indelible support. But as I move forward, I realize it’s time to recalibrate and go back home, as a husband, father, a son, and also as an actor.” Vikrant did mention focusing on personal growth and family but why quit your job especially when you’re loved by so many people? The actor started with “Balika Vadhu” and rose to fame with his extraordinary performance in the Hotstar series “The Criminal Justice”. Half of his present fans might know him from “Mirzapur”, but the true ones know what an amazing actor he is if they have watched Criminal Justice. Even in “Chhapaak”, the actor didn’t try to steal Deepika Padukone’s limelight and stood true to his character no matter how long the screen time was.
Like many of the contemporary actors in Bollywood, Vikrant Massey didn’t need top-notch action or flashy dialogues to make himself seen, he was indeed the poster boy for content-driven cinema. Let’s be real, the film industry is cruel and it doesn’t reward the actors the way they should. Likewise, it took us years to recognize what an actor Vikrant Massey is. It feels like being ghosted by your favorite person, doesn’t it? Well, I guess this was an end to an era. We only had these few years to watch his heartwarming performance but we do have a lifetime to celebrate him as an actor. Hope he finds himself in the right place one day to come back as an actor.
Comment down your favorite performance of Vikrant Massey.
