The past few months have brought a terrific upswing in Vikrant Massey’s popularity. The talented actor isn’t just garnering appreciation for his heartfelt performance as IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma in 12th Fail, but he also very recently welcomed a baby boy with his wife and actress Sheetal Thakur.
Vikrant Massey’s career first started with television stints in hit shows like Balika Vadhu, Dharam Veer and Qubool Hai before he made the switch to movies, both theatrical and OTT. During a recent appearance on Unfiltered by Samdish, the A Death in the Gunj star made the revelation that he quit a Rs 35 lakh per month acting job in television…
Vikrant Massey reveals why he left a lucrative acting job in TV which paid him Rs 35 lakh per month
Vikrant Massey reveals that one of the main reasons why he decided to quit TV – where he earned a lot including an acting gig with a Rs 35 lakh per month contract – is because of the “regressive content on TV” at the time: “I earned a lot in TV. I bought my first house at the age of 24. But all that regressive content on TV was happening simultaneously and I felt like coming out of the world and try my luck in cinema. I realised that though I became secure financially, it didn’t help me sleep well. I had this realisation when I fulfilled all my financial responsibilities towards my parents and others. My parents were in shock when I told them I am going to restart over in films. I was making a lot of money,” he told Samdish.
“At the age of 24, I was earning Rs 35 lakh per month, especially for someone who comes from a middle-class background. I quit TV at the time when I had a Rs 35 lakh per month contract in my hand. I decided to do good work and find peace,” Vikrant Massey stated.
Massey’s decision didn’t bring him immediate success as the 36-year-old actor went through many struggles. It was Sheetal, his girlfriend at the time, who was his huge support system: “My savings got exhausted in a year and then my wife Sheetal (his girlfriend at the time) used to give me pocket money for auditions.”
Find out how much Vikrant Massey charges for movies now:
Vikrant Massey, who has found significant success in movies, used to charge between Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore per film. According to a Hindustan Times report of 2021, Massey hiked up his fees to Rs 1.5 crore. This reportedly comes with a clause in the contract; if the film goes for a direct-to-digital release, the Dil Dhadakne Do star will get Rs 1.5 crore extra.
Meanwhile, amongst Vikrant Massey’s upcoming releases in 2024 is Haseen Dilruba’s sequel Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba, in which the actor will reprise his role as Rishu opposite Taapsee Pannu. The Jayprad Desai directorial will also star Sunny Kaushal and Jimmy Shergill.
