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Vikrant Massey almost 'chickened out' of Deepika Padukone's 'Chhapaak'
24 Jul 2026

In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, actor Vikrant Massey revealed that he almost rejected the film Chhapaak because of self-doubt.

The movie, directed by Meghna Gulzar and co-starring Deepika Padukone, was a pivotal moment in his career.

He recalled, "I remember during Chhapaak, I said, 'Deepika is a big star. She's as tall as me. We won't look good.'"

Gulzar told him, 'You guys will look good together'
Career impact

Despite his initial hesitation, Massey was eventually convinced by Gulzar to take on the role.

"She said, 'You guys will look good together. I want you to play the part, but these are the prerequisites that I have.' And I almost chickened out," he shared.

"It's also a lot of other people who've shown a lot of faith in me. It's an ongoing journey. So that gives you the confidence too."

Gratitude for filmmakers who believed in him
Acknowledgment

Massey expressed his gratitude toward the filmmakers who believed in him despite his self-doubt.

He mentioned, "Konkana Sen Sharma saw Shutu (from A Death in Gunj) in me when I was not able to."

"So her faith in me sort of gave me the confidence to go against the grain."

"Or when an Excel came my way with the Mirzapur or when Vidhu Vinod Chopra came my way or, when a Meghna Gulzar came my way."

About 'Musafir Cafe'
New venture

Massey's latest offering is the Netflix show Musafir Cafe, which he is co-producing.

The series, directed by Ruchir Arun and produced by Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT) and Homemade Stories, is based on Divya Prakash Dubey's novel of the same name.

It features Massey as Chander Mohan Sharma and Vedika Pinto as Sudha.

The show premiered on Netflix on Friday.