Wanted a good picture to hang at home: Vikrant Massey on National Award for ‘12th Fail’

Just 20 seconds with the President.

That was the thought racing through Vikrant Massey’s mind moments before being presented the National Award, his attention focused on following protocol and getting a good photograph with President Droupadi Murmu.

At the 71st National Film Awards ceremony on Tuesday, 23 September, Massey got the best actor award for his performance in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail, which also won the award for the best feature film.

For Massey, 38, it was a surreal moment and yet to sink in.

"I think it will take a couple of days for... just sit in my space and go through what's happened. But it's a great feeling. Not just me, my family and well wishers, they are all very happy," he said in an interview.

"The only thing that was going through my mind was that I follow the protocol because you will be standing with the President of the country. In my mind, I was thinking that I should follow them properly and hit the mark because you don't get more than 20 seconds. So my attention was on those things. And I just wanted to get a good picture to hang at home," he added.

Massey shared the best actor award with Shah Rukh Khan, who got it for Jawan.

Besides King Khan, Massey was seen interacting with Rani Mukerji, who won the best actress award for Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway and Malayalam superstar Mohanlal, the recipient of the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke award for the year 2023.

"It feels great to be honoured alongside someone like him (SRK)... So to be sharing the stage with him, with Rani Mukerji ma'am, Mohanlal sir, and such incredible talent — everybody from regional cinema, from the farthest corner of your country — what I mean to say is that when you sit with such great people, it feels good," he said.

Massey said both Shah Rukh and Mukerji praised his performance in 12th Fail, which was based on author Anurag Pathak's bestselling book that chronicled the journey of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma and his wife, IRS officer Shraddha Joshi.