Vikrant Massey, who was recently in Shanghai for his film ‘12th Fail’, said that director Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s wife, film critic Anupama Chopra, was of the opinion that Vikrant is an ‘OTT actor’ and people might not watch him in a theatre. ‘12th Fail’ was one of the most profitable films of 2023 as it was made on a modest budget, which was reported to be around Rs 20 crore, but ended up making Rs 70 crore worldwide before its China release.
Speaking at a leading media house’s event in Varanasi, Vikrant said, “Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s wife Anupama Chopra, who is a celebrated film critic, told him that you are making a film after so long. No one came to watch your previous film, ‘Shikara’. He is an OTT actor. Why will people come and watch him in a theatre?”
At the 100-day event of the film, Chopra said, “When I was making the film, I was told by everyone, including my dearest wife (film critic Anupama Chopra), to put it out on OTT. She said, ‘Nobody will go to see Vinod! Teri aur Vikrant ki film!’ She told me, ‘I don’t know as I’m not connected with movies anymore’.” Anupama endorsed his words and said, “He’s right. I did say I don’t know who will come to the theatre to see this film. So, I’m saying in public that I was wrong and you are right.”
Vikrant, at the same event, said that they often had a ‘self-realisation’ as to what journey they were on but had the confidence that their film would find a way as they knew they had made a ‘good film’. Vikrant said that during the preliminary screenings when they showed the film to other folks in the film industry, they would walk out teary-eyed. This further gave them the confidence that they had a good film on their hands.
Vikrant credited director Vidhu Vinod Chopra as ‘he didn’t want to manipulate the audience’.