Vikrant Massey on Moving Away From Dark Roles With Musafir Cafe: “I Was Personally Exhausted From Playing Such Intense Characters”

After delivering a string of intense performances in recent projects, Vikrant Massey is ready to embrace a softer, more romantic side with Netflix's upcoming series Musafir Cafe. The actor, who attended the trailer preview in Mumbai alongside co-stars Mahima Makwana, Vedika Pinto, Sharanya Rajgopal and the rest of the team, admitted that stepping away from emotionally draining roles came as a welcome change.

Speaking about his character in Musafir Cafe, Vikrant revealed that the series marks a return to the kind of charming, relatable roles audiences first fell in love with. "I think this is somewhat of a return to... well, you know, the 'Lutere' phase—that persona where we are very sweet and nice. How does it feel to get back to that? It feels really good, you know?" Vikrant said.

The actor candidly admitted that the emotionally heavy characters he has been portraying over the last few projects had begun to take a personal toll. "Honestly, I was personally exhausted from playing such intense roles—though there is intensity here too. It's just a different genre. It's definitely not Sector 36, which we made together. Here, everyone is alive; no one is killing anyone," he joked, drawing laughter from the audience.

He further added, "As Rishi-babu said, no one is killing anyone, yet there is still intensity. I really enjoyed it. It was actually a nice break from all the intense projects I'd been doing."

While Musafir Cafe moves away from crime and psychological drama, Vikrant believes its emotional depth lies in its relatable storytelling rather than high-stakes action.

Discussing the trailer, the actor explained why he feels audiences will connect deeply with the characters. "Having watched the trailer twice, I can confidently say that—given the lives we've all led—you will find a part of Chandra, Preeti, or Sudha that resonates with your own life. At some point in our respective lives, we've all been one of the three—or perhaps all three."

According to Vikrant, the story reflects emotions and relationships that almost everyone has experienced at some stage in life. "It hits very close to home, you know? Speaking personally, we all feel it's relatable because, at some level, we've experienced those things or have been the very people these three characters are. And I'm sure you sensed that too while watching the trailer. That is the beauty and power of love."

Based on Divya Prakash Dubey's acclaimed bestselling Hindi novel of the same name, Musafir Cafe is a romantic drama that explores love, longing and life's emotional crossroads across two timelines set against the picturesque backdrops of Bhopal and Mussoorie.

Vikrant Massey stars as Chander, a software engineer with literary aspirations who is searching for a life that truly feels like his own. Vedika Pinto plays Sudha, the passionate love from his past whose presence continues to shape his journey, while Mahima Makwana essays Preeti, the woman who offers Chander stability, comfort and the possibility of a new beginning. The series has been created and written by Sharanya Rajgopal, based on the beloved novel by Divya Prakash Dubey, and is directed by Ruchir Arun. The ensemble cast also includes Adil Hussain, Rajeev Siddhartha, Loveleen Mishra, and Sadiya Siddiqui in pivotal roles.

Musafir Cafe also marks an important milestone in Vikrant Massey's career as it is his first project as a producer under his production banner, Homemade Movies. With romance replacing violence, emotional vulnerability replacing brutality and relatable relationships taking centre stage, Musafir Cafe promises to showcase a different side of Vikrant Massey—one that the actor himself says he was eager to revisit after an intense run of performances.