Tujhe Koi Nahin Janta...: What 12th Fail Director Told Vikrant Massey Before Release

Vikrant Massey, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Medha Shankar and others came together to celebrate the 100 days of the release of 12th Fail on February 3. The actor and the film’s team celebrated the massive success of the movie in theatres as well as its overwhelmingly positive response on OTT. At the event, Vikrant Massey opened up about what director Vidhu Vinod Chopra told me before the film's release.

Vikrant Massey says 12th Fail was a ‘restart’ for him 

12th Fail is based on a book by Anurag Pathak. The film chronicles the life of Manoj Kumar Sharma, who overcame extreme poverty to become an IPS officer. The film puts the spotlight on his journey and how his wife, IRS officer Shraddha Joshi, was instrumental in his rise. The tagline of the film says, ‘Don’t be afraid to restart’, which Vikrant says resonated with him. 

During the 100-day celebration of the film, Vikrant shared that the film has become a ‘restart moment’ in his career. He shared, “I truly believe that 12th Fail was a restart moment of my career. I would be honest when sir (Vidhu Vindo Chopra) approached me to play the role of Manoj, he told me, 'tujhe koi nahin janta... bahut sare log tujhe nahin jante iske bawajood tu kaam kar raha hai itne salo se.' So yes, it was a restart moment for me to work with such a great director, and that too on a big story. I had to go back and unlearn so many things. I learnt so much by working in 12th Fail. I was with Sir for 2.5 years on the sets of the 12th Fail. He made me learn so much. Every day you wake up, there is a restart moment.” 

Vidhu Vinod Chopra says his wife insisted not releasing 12th Fail in theatres

At the same event,  Vidhu Vinod Chopra engaged in conversation with lead actor Vikrant Massey, who inquired about the filmmaker's reflections on the movie 100 days later. Chopra talked about the importance of honest filmmaking while recounting the initial scepticism surrounding the film's theatrical release.

He recalled, “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, that I’m not connected with movies (anymore). On top of this, these (trade) agencies were writing that it’ll open at Rs 2 lakhs and do a lifetime business of Rs 30 lakhs! Everyone scared me.”