Vikrant Massey on Friday attended Waves 2025. He was a part of a panel discussion named The Changing Face of Indian Cinema. Filmmaker Om Raut, actress Sonali Kulkarni, and actor Ravi Mohan accompanied the actor. During the panel discussion, Vikrant opened up about the rise of small town stories in the Hindi film industry, and the actor stated that one of the reasons is the subsidy they get from the state government.
Vikrant said, “I still think I am not qualified enough to answer this in depth, but I will try. Cinema, a few years ago, was an experience for a layman; to see machismo, larger than life, one man beating up 20 people. We all have grown up watching it, and we still watch it. But, a large chunk also goes to our exposure to international cinema and a certain sense of pragmatism even in storytelling. With smaller towns, with a common man becoming a hero in 12th Fail, or from what I remember, there was an Ayushmann Khurrana film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, I think it all began from there. A lot of factors come into it. Today, what I feel is that what was alternative 15 years ago, is mainstream today. I can never imagine a film like 12th Fail or Dum Laga Ke Haisha or a Trapped to be commercially successful. So a lot of factors come into play. Firstly, I think relatability. Most of the people I have met here have told me ‘Thank you for 12th Fail, this is our story’. When they see themselves or someone alike on the screens, there is a sense of hope which is still there within us.”
Vikrant On Getting Subsidy From State Governments
He further added, “Lastly, why are most of us also moving to smaller towns is because of subsidies. Very straightforward answer this is! Jo state sarkaar hame achchi subsidy deti hai, achcha infrastructure deti hai, hum wahi jaate hai (The state government that will give us good subsidy and good infrastructure, we will go there). You go to UP (Uttar Pradesh) today, there’s a single window there, in two weeks, you can have your turn around. Earlier, there was only one industry in Mumbai; now even Delhi has an industry. You will get all the equipment in Delhi, and overnight it will reach Lucknow. So, there are many permutations and combinations. Also, because people want to see those stories which were unheard of. Yesterday, Modi ji said it so beautifully that in a nation of more than 140 crore, we have more than 100 crore stories, and we are tapping into those smaller stories, bigger stories, larger than life stories, and I think it is just the beginning.”
Vikrant Massey Upcoming Movies
Vikrant Massey has multiple movies lined up. His next release is Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan, which will mark Shanaya Kapoor's debut. The movie is slated to release in July this year.
