Vikrant Massey on Why He Chose a Simple, Relatable Story Like Musafir Cafe for His Production Debut: ‘It Really Doesn’t Matter How Big Or How Small A Film Is.’

National Award-winning actor Vikrant Massey recently ventured into production with Musafir Cafe, the first project from his production house, Homemade Stories. The show has received appreciation from audiences across the country, with its simple yet relatable storytelling striking a chord with viewers. At a time when production houses often aim to make a big announcement with a large-scale film, Vikrant chose a story rooted in everyday emotions and human connections.

When asked why he opted for a relatively simple story instead of a big-budget film for his production debut, and how challenging the decision was, Vikrant explained that he has a different perspective on how projects are categorised. He said, “To be honest, I have a very different perspective towards this thing and I’ve had a problem lately in the last few years. And I just hope to sort of contribute in a way. Now, when I say this, what I mean is, you’re absolutely right. Like, most of the times when you’re probably announcing yourself or when you’re coming out with a new venture, you want it to be huge. You want it to be large. And in our field, we call it a big film. Today, it’s become a part of our normal language as well. This is a big film, this is a small film. I kind of have a problem with that. It really doesn’t matter how big or how small a film is. You really cannot categorize it that way. What really matters in the world of storytelling is, if it is a good film or a bad film.”

The actor further explained how his experience with 12th Fail strengthened his belief in the power of a good story. He added saying, “A big film may not necessarily be a good film. Or a small film can turn out to be a good film. And thankfully, I’ve been a part of that journey, when 12th Fail came out. It was actually, technically, so to say, the smallest film that year with regards to the production budget, with regards to the number of screens we had. But what kind of reiterates that very fact is that you guys watched the film. That film was the longest running film in the new millennium, post 2000. Besides Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which continues to play at Maratha Mandir. In the age of multiplexes, that film ran for 8 months, which is actually unprecedented. So, that kind of validated the very philosophy that I’m talking about. A good story and a bad story, we need to categorize it that way.”

Speaking about the vision behind Homemade Stories, Vikrant shared that the name itself reflects the kind of cinema he hopes to champion. He said, “And with regards to Homemade Stories, which is my production house, the name signifies that philosophy itself. I want to tell relatable stories. I want to tell stories that impact that sort of stay with you. And I would not want to say that, you know, this is the only genre that I’ll be dabbling in. Of course, I would want to go out there and make a large scale theatrical film also at some point in time. But largely, the idea remains that, you know, I want to tell stories that resonate with people. Play parts as an actor wherein you can see a bit of yourself or your loved ones, or, you know, you can just reminisce about your own time, your own life. And I think that sort of worked very well with Musafir Cafe.”

Taking the world of Musafir Cafe beyond the screen, Vikrant is also bringing the concept into the real world, with plans to open two physical replica cafés in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The initiative will allow audiences to experience a space inspired by the show, extending its appeal beyond the story itself.

On the work front, Vikrant will next be seen in White, in which he portrays spiritual leader and humanitarian Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The film explores his role in peacebuilding and efforts to resolve Colombia’s long-running civil conflict.