When Vikrant Massey, 37, announced his retirement from acting in the early hours of Monday morning, admirers were taken aback. Some online users blamed his choice to stand aside for the lacklustre reception of his most recent film, the criminal thriller The Sabarmati Report, directed by Dheeraj Sarna.
The 2002 Gujarati Godhra train fire tragedy served as the basis for the Sabarmati Report, which is still showing in theatres. According to Sacnilk, within its first 17 days of release, the movie has brought in ₹28.25 crore at the domestic box office. When it was released in theatres last month, it also proved to be the largest opening of Vikrant’s solo lead career. It quickly attracted comparisons to Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail, Vikrant’s breakthrough smash from the previous year, albeit since its daily growth in numbers wasn’t as rapid.
When 12th Fail made ₹56.38 crore at the Indian box office, it proved to be a sleeper hit. It was created by Vidhu Vinod Chopra Films and was based on the true underdog narrative of a UPSC candidate. A few weeks after its theatrical release, 12th Fail attracted crowds to theatres, even after its digital debut on Disney+ Hotstar. For fourteen weeks last year, it was shown in Indian theatres. Aditya Nimbalkar’s criminal thriller Section 36, which Vikrant also released on Netflix India, came out between 12th Fail and The Sabarmati Report.
On Monday morning, Vikrant posted a message on his Instagram account: “The past few years and beyond have been phenomenal.” I want to thank everyone for their unwavering support (namaste emoji). But as time goes by, I realize it’s time to return home and reassess—as a father, a husband, and a son, and as an actor as well.
Therefore, we will have our final meeting in 2025 until the moment is appropriate. Many years of recollections and the last two films. Again, thank you. For everything (emoji of a red heart) and everything in between. The letter said, “Forever indebted (red heart emoji).” Vikrant’s next films are Aankhon Ki Gustaakhiyan and Yaar Jigri.
